Educate magazine jan 2016

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Educate educatemagazine.com

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The Magazine for Schools, Parents and Pupils January – April 2016

Under the microscope Winning schools from the Educate Awards

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Guide to Sixth Form A stepping stone to success BAG IT UP Best student backpacks

VIEWPOINT Part time work.

Training for the real world?

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StCatholic Vincent de Paul Primary School Pitt Street Liverpool L1 5BY “Serving With Love … Striving For Excellence”

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We specialise in reinvigorating the Quality of Teaching in schools through highly motivating training and coaching with video.

We can offer INSET days or train 10 of your most enthusiastic teachers to become in house peer coaches, working to re-energise teachers at all levels. Our aim is to move teachers up at least one Ofsted level.

We focus on sustainable impact by training your staff to replicate our processes and thus making ourselves obsolete. Detailed impact reports are provided for governors and inspectors. We work in both Secondary and Primary with testimonies from over 30 headteachers. We have had particular impact within the context of Ofsted categories, having been alluded to in a number of Section 8 reports.

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Educate Contents Welcome...

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82-89

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98 Features

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Educate plus Training and learning on Merseyside

A night full of stars Full coverage of the red carpet ceremony

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38-39 Meet the headteacher Dave Smith, Halewood C of E Primary

Welcome to the January edition of Educate.

The glitz and glamour of the red carpet themed Educate Awards ceremony took place in November and, although a distant memory now, the celebrations didn’t end on the night. The Educate team went back to the classroom and returned to the winning schools to find out just what winning means to each school.

The photographs alone speak volumes and reflect the variety of projects and skills represented across all categories, from entrepreneurial awareness, dazzling stage performances, creative literacy initiatives to inspiring community projects.

A week in the life Ken Heaton, headteacher at Florence Melly Community Primary School

At this time of the academic year many students are making decisions about where to go and what to study at sixth form. This issue we provide an insightful guide for students and parents to explain the different choices on offer in this key stepping stone to success.

82-89 43-46 Sixth form A stepping stone to success

Up close and personal Educate Awards 2015 winners

117 52-53 Meet the headteacher Frances Harrison, Savio Salesian College

Book review This season’s must reads

118-119 54 Viewpoint Learning while earning

Bag it up The versitile backpack is back

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Already planning is underway for the Educate Awards 2016 and we look forward to even more schools from the Liverpool City Region, Cheshire and Lancashire entering what has become the biggest celebration of education in the North West. Visit educateawards.co.uk to find out how your school can enter!

Thoughts worth sharing Bitesize thinking

Where can we go?

Our pick of what’s happening out & about in the region

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School eco news Waste not, want not

My school days Paul Du Noyer - Rock journalist and author

Front cover: Bishop David Sheppard CE Primary School Published by Mersey Mirror, 36 Henry Street, Liverpool L1 5BS. Tel: 0151 709 7567 Fax: 0151 707 1678 Email: post@merseymirror.com Executive Editor Kim O’Brien Advertising Sales Manager Andy Rogers Tel: 0151 709 7567 Photography Liam Deveney, Robin Clewley, Graham Peel Editorial Alan Birkett, Natasha Young, Jennifer Chamberlain, Hannah Fowler, Design & Production Mersey Mirror, 36 Henry Street, Liverpool L1 5BS. Tel: 0151 706 7411 Email: post@merseymirror.com Distribution Barbara Troughton Tel: 0151 733 5492. Printed by PCP. Educate magazine is published by Mersey Mirror.

The contents of this magazine are fully protected by copyright and nothing may be reprinted or reproduced without permission.

Disclaimer The information contained within Educate we believe to be correct at the time of printing, no responsibility can be accepted for errors or omissions. © Copyright Mersey Mirror 2009.

We may live in a digital world but primary pupils and secondary students still carry a bag to school loaded with PE kits, stationery, books and pack lunches. Our young stylist, Olivia O’Brien, checks out the best backpacks in our fashion feature for boys and girls.

Finally business leaders offer their thoughts on how invaluable part time work is for students while they study.

Have your say and get in touch @EducateMag!

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News

Educate Awards sponsors sign up for 2016 With the 2015 winners crowned and the awards sitting pride of place in school’s trophy cabinets, the Educate team are hard at work preparing for 2016.

The Educate Awards is delighted to announce that eCadets, The Foundry Agency and MerseySTEM have already signed up to return as associate sponsors for 2016.

The eCadets is a multi-award winning pupil-led online safety programme which believes in empowering and supporting children so they can keep themselves and their friends safe online.

It is the only scheme of its kind in the UK especially designed for ages 3 to 18 years and has over 2,500 schools as members.

The company will once again sponsor the Innovation in Education Award which recognises how a school is using new ways to learn with a creative, innovative and pioneering approach.

Henry Platten, founder of eCadets, said: “We’re delighted to return as sponsors for the prestigious Educate Awards and I’m also honoured to be

joining the judging panel for this year too.

“The glittering ceremony in 2015 was the jewel in the crown of events for the year and was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the inspiring commitment, dedication and selfless energy teachers across the region show in their schools day in day out.”

The Foundry Agency is a leading integrated communications agency delivering effective marketing solutions to schools throughout the North West.

The agency has a passion for education and offers free workshops to primary and secondary schools to promote the career opportunities in the industry. The agency will once again sponsor The Communication Award which is given to schools which showcase strong communication links with its pupils, parents, governors, local community and wider audience.

Fiona Barnet, director of The Foundry Agency, said: “The Educate Awards is a fantastic event and we’re proud to sponsor The Communication Award, which recognises the innovative

communication approaches schools are adopting. There is nothing else like it in the region and we can’t wait to celebrate again this year.”

Also signed up for 2016 is returning sponsors for the Science Project of the Year category, MerseySTEM. Described as the ‘hidden wiring in the system’, MerseySTEM work on lots of different projects to bring exciting science, technology, engineering and mathematics to schools across the region.

Managing director Michelle Dow, said: “It is an honour and a pleasure for MerseySTEM to return as a sponsor for the Educate Awards. The awards recognise so many areas of education and the scope of categories is amazing.

MerseySTEM are all about facilitating and promoting STEM, what better way than to give recognition to schools who are excelling in Science?”

More sponsors are to be announced soon and nominations will open shortly.

To keep up to date follow @educateawards on Twitter or go to www.educateawards.co.uk

Parents urged to ‘Make it count’ The maths expert tasked with increasing standards in mathematics and numeracy in Liverpool is urging parents to buy mathematical games for their children.

Dr Graham Lawler, director of Liverpool Counts, hopes it will encourage teenagers to improve their grades and accomplish the aims of the scheme.

Dr Lawler - who created the highly acclaimed BBC Bite Size GCSE revision guide for advanced maths and wrote a book with the late Sir Arthur C Clarke about understanding maths - believes mathematical games are integral to this.

He said: “Games are a brilliant way to encourage children and young people to improve their mathematics. They are learning and having fun.

“The best types of games are strategy games; these are where the players have to think ahead. If we can get more children and young people playing these strategy games then it can have an amazing impact on their mental skills capacity and that is important in 6

improving their maths.

“There are many apprentice jobs in Merseyside that are going to people from outside the area because they have higher maths grades. If mums and dads encourage their teenagers, and improve their maths grades at school, these are jobs our young people can have. That is why this is so important.”

Liverpool Counts was launched in October with the objectives of: • Raising standards in mathematics and numeracy with fun and joy of numbers at its heart • Challenging perceptions and changing attitudes toward numeracy and mathematics • Raising the profile of numeracy using activities, events and resources based on real-life • Bring relevance to numeracy through problem solving, demonstrating it as an essential skill It is based on the successful model of Liverpool City of Readers, which is contributing to the raising of standards in reading and writing and aims to

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

Dr Graham Lawler, director of Liverpool Counts

improve attainment in maths at all levels of education.

Liverpool Counts is spearheaded by the Liverpool Learning Partnership, which represents all education sectors and all learners in Liverpool.

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www.educateawards.co.uk

S AV E T H E DAT E

1 8 N O V CEA M BER T H E D R A L

L I V E R P O O L

E N T R I E S B Y F R I D A Y . 2 4 . J U N E* * C AT E G O R I E S T O B E A N N O U N C E D S H O RT LY

TO ALL OUR 2015 SPONSORS YO U R S U P P O RT H E L P E D U S T O C E L E B R AT E T H E R E G I O N ’ S S C H O O L S AND ALL THEIR AMAZING ACHIEVEMENTS.

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Educate Awards 2015

A NIGHT FULL OF STARS On Friday 20 November, 500 guests gathered for the red carpet inspired Educate Awards ceremony held at the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral!

The awards, sponsored by Connex Education, is now in its fourth year and celebrates the inspiring work that goes on inside and outside the school gates.

On the night, 19 awards were handed out to schools in the Liverpool City Region, Lancashire and Cheshire.

A great variety of projects and skills were represented, from entrepreneurial awareness, dazzling stage performances, creative literacy initiatives to inspiring community partnerships.

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Eco Project of the Year Award sponsored by Carillion Winner - Liverpool Life Sciences UTC Runner Up - Cowley International College

Teacher of the Year sponsored by Connex Education Winner - Peter Fearon, Bebington High Sports College Runner Up - Beth Harris, Archbishop Temple School

Outstanding Commitment to Sport in a Primary School sponsored by Jamie Carragher Sports & Learning Academy Winner - St Cecilia’s Catholic Junior School Runner Up - Billinge St Aidan’s C of E Primary School

Innovative and Creative Literacy Award sponsored by The Merseyside Network for Collaborative Outreach (MNCO) Winner - The District C of E School Runner Up - Bishop David Sheppard CE Primary

Spirit of Enterprise Award sponsored by The City of Liverpool College Winner - Rainford C of E Primary School Runner Up - Birkdale High

The Communication Award sponsored by The Foundry Agency Winner - Leamington Community Primary School Runner Up - Whitefield Primary School

Most Inspirational Primary School sponsored by Knowsley Schools 4 Health Winner - Halewood C of E Primary School Runner Up - Eldon Primary School

Innovation in Education sponsored by eCadets Winner - Flakefleet Primary School Runner Up - Archbishop Blanch C E High School

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Most Inspirational Secondary School sponsored by Liverpool Hope University, Winner - Wellfield High School Runner Up - Clare Mount Specialist Sports College

Science Project of the Year sponsored by MerseySTEM Winner - Bishop David Sheppard CE Primary Runner Up - Liverpool Life Sciences UTC

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Community Partnership Award sponsored by Vivark Winner - Gateacre School Runner Up - Bishop David Sheppard CE Primary

Outstanding Arts in a Secondary School sponsored by Adlib Solutions Winner - The Belvedere Academy Runner Up - Holly Lodge Girls’ College

SEND Provision Award sponsored by Myerscough College Winner - The Observatory School Runner Up - Springwood Heath Primary School

Outstanding Teaching of Life Skills sponsored by the National Citizen Service Ingeus (NCS) Winner - Archbishop Temple School Runner Up - St Oswald’s C of E Primary School

Leadership Team of the Year sponsored by Progress to Excellence Winner - Bishop David Sheppard CE Primary Joint Runner Up - Formby High School and Kilgarth School

Outstanding Commitment to Sport in a Secondary School sponsored by Liverpool John Moores University Winner - St Margaret’s Church of England Academy Runner Up - Rainford High Technology College

Outstanding Arts in a Primary School sponsored by E-voked Workshops Winner - Netherton Moss Primary School Runner Up - Faith Primary School in partnership with In Harmony Liverpool

WOW Recognition Award sponsored by Paul Crowley & Co Solicitors Winner - Gateacre School Runner Up - Netherton Moss Primary School

Career Aspiration Award sponsored by the Greater Merseyside Learning Providers’ Federation (GMLPF), Winner - Calderstones School Runner Up - Bebington High School Farm at Bebington High School Sports College

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The Belvedere Academy Chamber Choir

Kim O’Brien, Executive Editor, Educate Magazine

Sarah Brown, Lydia Connolly and Hannah Fowler , The Foundry Agency

Bebington High School

Adlib Solutions

Gateacre School

St Margaret’s Church of England Academy

Steve Smith and Neil Fitzmaurice

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Cllr Gary Millar, Steve MacFarlane and Cllr Nick Small

Bishop David Sheppard CE Primary School with Michelle Dow, MerseySTEM

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St Cecilia’s Catholic Junior School

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The judges: (L-R) Mark Beedles (Connex Education), Allan Williams (Everyman and Playhouse), Fiona Barnet (The Foundry Agency), Chris Walker (Trinity Mirror), Lesley Martin-Wright(Knowsley Chamber), Cllr Gary Millar (Liverpool City Council), Leanne Campbell )Radio City) and Steve Smith (Raise the Bar)

Dominic Mackenzie and Steve Cook, Formby High School with Liverpool Hope University

Rainford C of E Primary School

The Belvedere Academy

Flakefleet Primary with Henry Platten, eCadets

Calderstones School with James Glendenning, CEO, GMLPF (right)

Darci Shaw, The Belvedere Academy

Educate Awards 2015 judges

Blowin’ A Gale, Holly Lodge Girls’ College

Halewood C of E Primary School Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

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Neil Fitzmaurice, Liverpool actor, hosted the ceremony

Halewood C of E Primary School

Rainford C of E Primary School

The Foundry Agency

Holly Lodge Girls’ College

Cowley International College

Bebington High School

Calderstones School Leadership Team

Mark Beedles, Connex Education

Popcorn for guests

Calderstones School student Suri Singhania interviewing Leanne Campbell, Radio City

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Schools on display

Dramatic performances

Clare Mount Specialist Sports College

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Phoebe Rhodes, The Belvedere Academy Chamber Choir takes centre stage

St Margaret’s Church of England Academy

Bishop David Sheppard C of E Primary School

Wellfield High School

Paul Crowley & Co Solicitors

Star performers

Educate Awards guests

Andrew Woolcock former pupil from Archbishop Temple School

Calderstones School

Gerard Lonergan, headteacher and Lisa Mitchell community co-ordinator, Gateacre School

Guests

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Primary News

Bully busters Pupils get in a spin with special guests Staff and pupils from St Vincent de Paul Catholic Primary School were treated to a special visit from the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team.

The world famous American basketball stars, renowned for their crazy trick shots, visited the school to raise awareness of the impact bullying has in schools.

Globetrotters Anthony ‘Buckets’

Blakes and Julian ‘Zeus’ McClurkin showed the pupils some tricks and got them involved in fun activities to stress the importance to stop bullying on the playground and in classrooms.

The pair have been travelling across the UK as part of a national antibullying campaign to show pupils their ABC’s of bullying prevention. In the campaign ABC stands for action, bravery and compassion.

Keyonte Estwitk (Year 1) with Harlem Globetrotter Anthony ‘Buckets’ Blakes

Primary school scoop top award Prescot Primary School has been recognised as an Apple Distinguished School for 2015-2017. This is the first school in Knowsley to receive this accolade.

The Apple Distinguished School designation is reserved for programmes that meet criteria for innovation, leadership, and educational excellence, and demonstrate a clear vision of exemplary learning environments.

The school was invited to apply in recognition of the work undertaken in successfully integrating technology into classroom.

Steve George, headteacher at Prescot Primary School, said: “I’m delighted that we have been recognised and becoming an Apple Distinguished School will enable the school to further develop its use of learning technologies, as well as exchanging best practice with other schools, both within Knowsley and across the country.

“Pupil feedback has been extremely positive on the use of technology in lessons and I’m delighted we have been recognised as an innovative and compelling learning environment that engages students.

The school has ensured their curriculum and learning styles truly adopt technology in the classrooms, providing an enhanced learning environment.”

Pupil fundraising power

The junior children of Bishop Martin CE Primary School in Woolton recently raised £1,302.69 for the Liverpool Charity, ‘Be One Percent’.

The charity was established in Liverpool in March 2011 and is based on the idea of people giving 1% of their income each month to help the world’s poorest people.

The children were each given £1 to use in a creative way to 18

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

make their £1 grow.

They were very proactive using their talents to raise money such as baking cakes, cleaning windows and washing cars.

A representative from the charity ‘Be One Percent’ visited the school to talk to the staff and children about their work and they even had a video link with one of the leaders working in Japan who wanted to express his gratitude to the children.

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Primary News

Pupils from Whitefield Primary School make a start on their shortlisted books

Well read pupils Local pupils decide winners in Blue Peter Book Awards Pupils at Whitefield Primary School are part of a select group invited to choose their favourite children’s story and non-fiction book in the Blue Peter Book Awards 2016.

The Year 5 and 6 students will read and vote on six shortlisted books over the next two months to decide award winners in two categories – Best Story and Best Book with Facts.

Only ten schools across the country have been invited to participate in the judging.

Nadine Carroll, headteacher at

Whitefield, said: “Our pupils are extremely excited to be taking part in the enormously popular Blue Peter Book Awards. Reading is at the heart of our school ethos and so we jump at every opportunity to encourage reading for pleasure.”

The awards are organised by children’s reading charity, BookTrust, who have given the schools a range of resources and guidance on what might make a winning book, as well as providing them with several copies of the shortlist.

The shortlist, announced live on Blue

Peter in December, was selected by a panel of judges – Angellica Bell, Pamela Butchart, Jim Sells and non-voting chair Ewan Vinnicombe – who cited the challenging topics in the books vying for best story and said many of the books made them cry with laughter but also with sadness.

Participating pupils have until Friday 5 February 2016 to read the shortlisted books and pick their favourites, with the two winners announced on Blue Peter on World Book Day, Thursday 3 March by Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell.

Journey through space

A special visitor for Bedford Primary pupils

It’s not every day that an astronaut takes time out of space to say hello to a school, but pupils and staff at Bedford Primary in Bootle were treated to one such visitor.

This astronaut was on a special mission to deliver a ‘Maths Intergalactic Tracker’ book to every pupil in the school to help them make their mathematical journey through space and planets. Throughout their school career every child will travel to various planets and face different maths challenges and learn new skills on each planet.

Once they complete the skills on an individual planet the children will receive a postcard from the astronaut telling their family they have landed on the planet and have learnt new mathematical skills.

The astronaut also delivered some big, shiny gold stars for Bedford’s ‘Maths Stars of the Week’ to go on the back of their chairs to let everyone know how well they have done.

Lucy Shore, assistant head for KS2, said: “The main aim of the initiative is to enable the children to learn all the necessary skills in their year group through a fun, imaginative and educational method.

“Additional Numeracy Time (ANT) sessions are taught three times a week and it is during these times that skills are taught, practised and assessed. The children are really excited and engaged in the project and showing great enthusiasm for their maths to take them on their space journey.”

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Primary News

Surprise visitor in Kirkby Wayne Rooney presents primary with award England football captain Wayne Rooney returned to his roots to pay a surprise visit to a primary school just up the road from his birthplace of Croxteth in Liverpool.

Wayne dropped into the whole-school assembly at St Laurence’s Catholic Primary School in Kirkby to present staff and pupils with the Knowsley Schools 4 Health Gold Award.

The Leeside Avenue school has been working in partnership with the Schools 4 Health programme, run by 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, over the last year to support their pupils to get healthy and develop a healthier culture within the school. It is the first school in Knowsley to achieve Gold Award status – the highest level of the programme.

The Gold Award is only presented to schools that can show evidence of both positive behaviour changes and sustainable cultural changes within the school community.

St Laurence’s has brought in a raft of positive changes as part of the programme, such as introducing a healthy cookery programme and a wide range of after-school activities, including a family fit class where children and their parents are encouraged to get fit together and learn about the importance of healthy eating.

John Cushion, health and wellbeing lead at St Laurence’s, said: “We are extremely proud to have achieved the Schools 4 Health Gold Award status, which we feel is testament to the hard work and effort our staff, pupils and parents have put into developing a healthy culture here at St Laurence’s.

“We were absolutely thrilled to have Wayne join us for the presentation, not only as a positive role model for so many of our pupils but also as an St Laurence’s pupils Amber and Alex collect the Schools 4 ambassador for sport Health Gold Award from Wayne Rooney during the wholeand physical activity, school assembly see a school close to where I grew up which is such an important part of the taking the health and wellbeing of its Schools 4 Health programme. We’re so pupils seriously. grateful to him for giving up his time to “It’s really important that youngsters come and hand over the award, and I are given plenty of opportunities to get know it meant the world to the children.” active during and after the school day. St Wayne, who was a pupil at Our Lady Laurence’s has done brilliantly to make and St Swithen’s Primary School in this happen so quickly.” neighbouring Croxteth, said: “It’s great to

Cricketing success continues The girls from St Christopher’s Catholic Primary School competed in the annual Lancashire Girl’s Primary Kiwk Cricket County Finals at Unsworth, Bury, after becoming

Liverpool champions for the eighth consecutive year, the only Lancashire team to have competed in every county final.

Having reached the later stages at the event in the last

Another outstandng season for St Christopher’s girls cricket team

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Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

four years, this year the girls went one step better to be crowned County Champions for the first time at the eighth attempt!

A northern county winners event was then arranged at the picturesque Scarborough CC, North Yorkshire with the county representative winners and runners up competing to be crowned northern national winners. These included the winners from Yorkshire, Lancashire, Northumberland, Durham and Cheshire.

The girls although not playing their best cricket of the season acquitted themselves very well eventually finishing third place received the bronze plaque.

The trip and overnight hotel stay to Scarborough was a great celebration and reward

for the girl’s treble winning season and record equalling season with St Christopher’s 2010 national final reaching girls team.

This season has prolonged the success and dedication to cricket at the school, which now consists of an unbelievable 56 cricket trophies in just 14 years of competitions!

In those 14 years St Christopher’s have reached three national finals, claimed two county titles, one North West regional crown and last year were crowned primary cricket school of the year.

This continued success also saw Lancashire and England female cricket star Kate Cross presenting the school with a banner to celebrate this years girls Lancashire county title success.

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Primary News

Celebrating Black History month Pupils from Park View Primary School, Huyton held a day to celebrate and help the children understand about Black History.

The famous Lily the Pink Productions campervan rolled through the Park View Primary School gates, filled with musical instruments and recording equipment.

A singing workshop for the pupils taught them ‘Asikatali - Children of Africa’ a traditional song from South Africa, written in honour of Nelson Mandela about the plight of children during the apartheid.

They also learned about Black History Month and equality, teamwork and the ability of music to bring people together.

The exciting workshop culminated in them recording a performance of the song.

Headteacher Ruth Harrison, who coarranged the workshop said: “Understanding the history of the world and how it impacts on the pupils and our community here in Huyton is really important to us as a school.

“The children here are proud of their society, love their history and are always eager to learn about other countries and cultures; it fascinates them.

Parkview pupils in singing workshops with Lily the Pink Productions director (and former LIPA enterprise champion) Lynne Harrison

It’s a dog’s life for pupils!

The local author of the popular children’s book series ‘Pugalugs’ visited her former school, Haydock English Martyrs RC Primary, for an afternoon of writing and arts activities.

Jessica spoke about her career as an author, and husband Mark told pupils about his role as a publisher.

Afterwards there were book readings, and children and staff got the chance to play with the attention-loving protagonists Pugalugs and Dug. Jessica attended the primary school in the 1990s, leaving in 1999.

The 28-year-old, whose books have enjoyed national success, said: “I was honoured to visit my old primary school with Pugalugs, I enjoyed my time at English Martyrs so much, and it was lovely to see Miss Prescott who was actually my Year 5 teacher when I attended the school.

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She has been so supportive and I was delighted to be asked to visit.

“We all had great fun during the afternoon, the children were so interested in what it’s like to be an author, and I think for them to meet an author who attended their own primary school will

hopefully give them the inspiration to follow their own dreams one day!”

Headteacher, Karen Prescott, said: “We know how important it is to engage pupils in reading at a young age, and to encourage a love of writing.

“Jessica has brought

lessons to life and we’re ever grateful. It was so rewarding for staff and current pupils to see a former pupil come back and tell us and the children how the school has had a positive impact, and how it set her up for her future endeavours

Mark and Jessica Parish with Pugalugs, Dug and Haydock English Martyrs pupils and staff.

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Primary News

Excellence Award for Yew Tree Yew Tree Community Primary School in Halewood is the first mainstream school in Knowsley to achieve the Inclusion Quality Mark Centre of Excellence.

Assessors visited the school to examine how the school meets the needs of diverse communities in delivering an inclusive education, whilst ensuring equal opportunities for all pupils, regardless of age, gender ethnicity, attainment and background.

Following the visit, assessors described the school as “vibrant and motivating where the

warmth of the staff and pupils is obvious as one is welcomed through the door.”

Assessors also commented that inclusive practice permeates throughout the school at all levels and the curriculum is enriched by topic work, themed weeks, visits, art and drama projects as well as residential visits.

Julia Wright, headteacher at Yew Tree, said: “I, along with my leadership team and teaching staff, are all committed to ensuring we provide a quality education for our pupils. The award is a fantastic endorsement of what we do day in day out

Cllr See with headteacher Julia Wright accepting the IQM Award

to ensure all of our pupils achieve their potential.”

The views of staff, children, parents and governors formed part of the assessment.

Cllr Gary See, cabinet member for children services, said: “I’m delighted that the school has been recognised at a national

Pupils and parish pull together for refugees Kindhearted children and families at a primary school in Halewood have been busy collecting essentials to help refugees.

The children at Holy Family RC Primary School told teachers they wanted to do something to help refugees after the topic was discussed

at circle time.

Their parish priest, Father Vin McShane from Holy Family Church, then invited the school to help collect essentials to make life a bit more bearable for families fleeing conflict zones.

With help and encouragement from the pupils, donations of food, bedding, clothes,

nappies, toothpaste, toothbrushes, baby wipes, soap and shower gel have come pouring into school as well as toys, games and books for displaced refugee children.

All the donations are being collected by the church and given to a local refugee appeal centre for distribution to those

Children from Holy Family Primary with the donations they have collected for refugees.

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Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

in need.

Headteacher Gillian Holland said: “We have discussed the issue of refugees with the children very carefully and sensitively. Of course it is an issue that is all over the news and the children are very aware that there are little boys and girls in the world who aren’t as lucky as they are. They naturally want to do what they can to help.

“Since we got involved with the church appeal people have been brilliant, and the amount of donations we’ve had into school has really surpassed what we expected.

It has been a wonderful response to such a worthy cause.”

level for the education and support they provide. It is particularly pleasing that part of the assessment included speaking to pupils and parents directly and their views have helped the school to achieve this prestigious accolade. Well done to everyone involved!”

Top fun!

Teachers and pupils at St Oswald’s Catholic Junior School found the perfect way to share learning around their topic of structures when they built a large geodesic dome in their school hall.

The pupils were challenged to create designs for each of the 105 individual triangles needed to make up the dome.

Using words and illustrations, they shared what they had discovered about a number of structures from around the world - including the Egyptian pyramids, the Eden Project (itself a geodesic dome) and London’s iconic Shard.

Once the individual triangles had been completed, pupils undertook the next stage of construction by using them to create a series of hexagons and pentagons. These were then clipped together to build the 2m high dome.

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Primary News

Calling all primary schools!

Exclusive membership offer for eCadet programme Educate magazine is joining forces with eCadets to celebrate Safer Internet Day and offer schools a half price membership to the eSafety programme for the current academic year.

Safer Internet Day, which this year takes place on 9 February, is a celebration of the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.

Empowering and supporting pupils to keep their friends safe online is the heartbeat of the award-winning eCadet programme, so Educate Magazine are delighted to join forces to celebrate Safer Internet Day, and bring the programme to more schools across the region.

Executive editor of Educate Magazine, Kim O’Brien said: “At Educate we pride ourselves on delivering amazing solutions to support schools in everything we do, which is why we’re proud to have partnered with the award-winning eCadets.

“We have a great relationship with eCadets which has enabled us to bring this fantastic offer to schools. All they need to do to is register at ecadet.zone with the offer code ‘Educate16’.”

The eCadets was founded by former Police Sergeant Henry Platten and is run by pupils in a school, through the website ecadet.zone. There are regular curriculum linked activities which empower kids to learn to stay safe through play.

There is also the opportunity for pupils to safely connect with children the same

Pupils try out the eSafety programme

age through the site, which is all moderated by the former police officers at eCadets.

Founder of eCadets, Henry Platten, said: “It is so rewarding to see the amazing impact the pupils have in keeping their friends safe. Children will always talk to other children and we seek to give a team of peer mentors the support, structure and training to be able to help keep the entire school community safe.

“Through our curriculum-linked

activities the children take full ownership, for example, in one activity they trained parents, designing what they felt parents needed to know to stay safe.”

To register for membership visit eCadet.zone and click on “Register My school”. In the offer code simply enter ‘Educate16’.

If you’d like to see more of the excellent work produced by teams of eCadets please visit ecadet.zone or check out eCadets on Twitter (@ecadets) or Facebook (facebook.com/ecadets).

Coffee and cake raise more than £600 As part of Macmillan Cancer Support’s annual flagship fundraising event, World’s Biggest Coffee Morning, LIPA Primary School pupils held an afternoon of coffee, cake and creativity to raise an impressive £601.07 to support people affected by cancer.

Lisa Wild, Macmillan’s fundraising manager for Liverpool, Wirral and the Isle of Man, visited the school to receive a cheque, which was presented by Year 1 pupils.

Speaking to the pupils at a special assembly, Lisa thanked them for all their hard 26

work, which was especially impressive given that the school currently only has four classes – two in reception and two in Year 1, making a total of 104 pupils.

Lisa went on to tell the children a little about what Macmillan does to support people with cancer and their families, adding that the money raised by the school will help the charity as it aims to beat the record breaking £25 million that was raised through 2014’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.

Greg Parker, headteacher of LIPA Primary School, said: “We are very proud of the hard

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

work and generosity of our pupils and their families – not just in raising money for Macmillan, but also for all the other charity initiatives the

children have been involved with. Together, we have learned how to take a single £1 coin and grow it – in this case, into 601 pound coins!”

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Secondary News

Outstanding year of sport

First XI football team with manager Greg McLean

St Margaret’s Church of England Academy in Liverpool is celebrating an incredible year of sporting success.

It has been a first class year of sport for Aigburth secondary school, St Margaret’s Academy. With football, rugby, basketball, cricket, athletics, badminton, table-tennis and fitness all on offer, pupils have plenty of options to choose from.

The school places an emphasis on keeping sport fun and accessible, encouraging pupils of all abilities to take part, by hosting regular charity and fancy dress football games.

Since opening its cricket and sports

centre in 2006, St Margaret’s has reaped the benefits, as the facilities have provided students with the opportunity to develop and excel in the sporting field, both in class and during numerous extracurricular activities.

Particularly impressive is the Sixth Form’s football team, First XI Football, which has seen an incredible revival over the past 18 months in the hands of its new manager, Greg McLean.

A former student of the school now working in the Sixth Form, Greg has led the team to 31 victories to date, with an incredible 176 goals scored in 44 games.

This summer, the team lifted the Merseyside College’s NDS Trophies

Championship League title, which is testament to the hard work and dedication of all members of the team.

The team also reached the semi-finals of the Everton Shield, which is also an impressive feat.

Greg McLean, the First XI football manager, said: “In my first year in charge of the team, I couldn’t have asked for a better group of players.

“They have shown great commitment and enthusiasm and our success is all down to their hard work.

“Our football team and entire sport curriculum is one to be proud of and winning the Educate Award topped off an incredibly exciting year for us all.”

The classic tale of Camden Town!

The performing arts department of Archbishop Beck Catholic Sports College presented their version of the all-time Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol.

The concert captured the essence of the Christmas spirit with wonderful contributions from the music, dance and drama departments.

As Scrooge said, (played by Tom Patterson from Year 13): “May it be truly said of us, and us all, that we know how to keep Christmas well each and every day of the year by good deeds, friendship and laughter” he added, “A Merry Christmas to you all" 28

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Secondary News

Religious cleric at Alsop Working together for world peace Over 700 students and staff from Alsop High School gave a warm welcome to Imam Asim Hafiz, the first time in the history of Alsop that a Muslim cleric has visited the school.

Mr Joe Mangan, headteacher at Alsop High School said: “It is a privilege for us to welcome Imam Asim to our school and his talk encouraged our students to consider how people should work together for world peace.”

The Imam, who leads Islamic prayer and services, also takes on a larger role in providing community support and spiritual advice, spoke about his work with the Ministry of Defence and with British soldiers on the front line in Afghanistan.

In 2005, at the height of the Iraq War Asim

Hafiz was the first ever Imam appointed to the British armed forces.

His role is about supporting Muslims serving in the military and providing guidance to the chain of command.

His decision to become an Imam was strongly influenced by his Indian-born father.

He qualified as an Imam at 23.

Mr Peter Bull, head of religious education said: “Imam Asim challenged students to think about stereotypes and the rise of Islamophobia. He gave Alsop an insight in the work of chaplaincy within the Ministry of Defence.

“Students gave Asim a warm welcome and the Imam demonstrated that the majority of Muslims are just as British as everyone else.”

Imam Asim Hafiz

Liverpool student leads debate

Caitlin Cavanagh at the House of Commons Chamber

A student from Liverpool represented the North West as she spoke at The UK Youth Parliament.

Caitlin Cavanagh, a Year 12 student at Archbishop Blanch School, led a debate to mark the 750th anniversary of the Magna Carta, which discussed what the principles of the document mean to young people today.

Caitlin, who is a member of the Youth Parliament (MYP), was one of many members taking part in the debates throughout the day.

A range of topical issues were discussed, including the need for improved mental health services and tackling racist and religious discrimination.

The Youth Parliament, sitting for its sixth year in the House of Commons Chamber, signalled the start of Parliament Week, a UKwide programme of events and activities that inspire, engage and

Supporting those in need More than £2,000 has been raised for Macmillan Cancer Care thanks to various fundraising activities by Sacred Heart Catholic College staff and students.

Staff and students have organised a number of cake sales, coffee mornings and raffles, while physical education teacher, Mr Burke gave up alcohol for the month of October, as part of the organisation’s, ‘Go Sober for October’, challenge.

Mr Burke said: “We are delighted and proud that our efforts resulted in us raising a magnificent total of £2,250.”

The College welcomed Lisa Wild from Macmillan Cancer Support to the Year 7 assembly to receive the cheque.

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connect people with parliamentary democracy.

Caitlin Cavanagh said: “It was an amazing experience that I got to do, and in my speech I got to say why 16 and 17 year old’s should have the right to vote, something I truly believe we deserve. Although it was nerve-wrecking, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

The debates were streamed live on the Parliamentary website and Archbishop Blanch School were delighted to watch Caitlin live from Parliament.

Headteacher Heather Duggan said: “We’re so proud of Caitlin!

She represented the North West brilliantly and is an excellent role model for our younger pupils.

“We try to encourage our pupils to take part in as many extracurricular activities as possible, and The UK Youth Parliament is a fantastic way to represent the region and make your mark.”

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Secondary News

Jack receives royal approval Whirlwind few months for student A Liverpool teenager has had a whirlwind few months after

winning the opportunity to tour some of the country’s leading

L-R: Jack Reynolds, Amanda Berry, Louis Jackson, HRH The Duke of Cambridge, Camylle Tuliao, HRH The Duchess of Cambridge, Jack Mills. (Photo credit : BAFTA / Alan Richardson)

digital studios, including Google’s London Victoria office and Abertay University, where he met with Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Jack Mills, a year thirteen student, won his BAFTA Young Game Designers award for creating a fullyplayable platform game as part of a project at The Studio, a specialist creative media and game development school in Liverpool.

Following the awards ceremony in London, he embarked upon a tour of some of the country’s leading digital and creative studios.

At Abertay University he met with Prince William, who is also the president of BAFTA, and Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge.

The two Royals tried out his game, with Kate commenting that the game was challenging but thoroughly enjoyable.

Jack, said: “The past few months have been life-changing, and I’ve had some wonderful opportunities to see my dream industry from the inside.

“After everything that’s happened in the wake of winning the award, I’ve got some clear direction for my future.

‘The highlight for me was getting to see inside Google’s London Victoria office. Some of the gaming projects they’re working on are really exciting, and I’d love to take the skills I’ve developed at The Studio and see how I can use them in innovative, forwardthinking projects.

“I’m grateful to The Studio for giving me the necessary skills and climate to flourish, and encouraging me to excel.”

STUDENTS WIN ACCLAIM FOR ‘BRILLIANT’ PRODUCTION St Mary’s College in Crosby has reinforced its reputation for producing outstanding modernised versions of classical Greek tragedies with its latest sellout show.

Students have attracted rave reviews for their updated version of Electra by Euripides staged at Liverpool University’s Stanley Theatre.

The horror movie atmosphere of the St Mary’s version - accompanied by dance and live jazz music - was described as ‘a feast for the eyes’ as well as a cause for reflection on the power of love and the importance of family.

Heading the impressive cast of 45 1418-year-olds were 16-year-old Sophie Clarke in the title role, George Clarke as Orestes, Leah Lovelady as Clytemnestra and Sean Dwyer as Pylades.

St Mary’s head of classics, Nancy Moore, said: “This production featured some of the most gifted students we have 32

ever worked with so it was a real pleasure to direct.

“Thanks to their skill, hard work and

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

commitment, they succeeded in making this ancient play fresh and relevant to a modern audience.”

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Secondary News

We have lift off

A glimpse into the future

Professor launches Science Academy

Pupils get a first glimpse of the new centre

Professor Martyn Amos (centre) pictured with science students, Daniel Margetts and Indie Hayes at the opening of the new science academy.

One of the world’s leading computer scientists has been welcomed to Rainhill Sixth Form Centre to officially unveil the new science academy.

Martyn Amos, professor of novel computation in the School of Computing, Mathematics and Digital Technology at Manchester Metropolitan University, cut the red ribbon to open the science academy, which will enhance university application forms for students seeking to do science-based degrees, through offering additional learning experiences - in addition to achieving excellent A-level results.

The science academy will provide help and support to students in their own scientific interests through personalised research and work placements in partnership with Whiston Hospital and Clattterbridge Cancer Centre, where students can work with doctors in the pathology department, and radiotherapy suites every year to gain a real understanding of the work involved.

During his visit, Professor Amos also gave a lecture on the power and importance of computer science to sixth form students which included examples of his time creating computer modelling on crowd safety as part of the Hillsborough enquiry.

He then went on to meet sixth formers planning on studying 34

science or computer science at university for a question and answer session.

Headteacher John Pout said: “As a centre of excellence for science education in the North West, It is a real honour to have such a prestigious scientists visit the sixth form. His work is fascinating.

“Professor Amos was very down to earth, engaged well with the students, who thought he was very interesting and thought - provoking.”

Bellerive FCJ Catholic College gave its students a glimpse into the future when a group of Year 11 students visited the construction site for the new Sixth Form and Performing Arts Centre.

Accompanied by deputy headteacher Mr Taylor the students were given a full tour of the site and were able to see the excellent progress being made. They were briefed on progress by Quentin Keohane who is the lead architect on the project and Ian Park who is the site manager.

Mr Taylor said: “The students gained a great insight into the technical aspects of construction and engineering and were left in no doubt about the attention to detail involved in such a project.

“A number of the students are considering careers in engineering and will be amongst the first to benefit from the new building when it opens in summer 2016.”

Pathways to success for Academy The Kingsway Academy in Moreton hosted an exciting event to launch three new specialist Sixth Form Pathways.

The three new pathways at The Kingsway Academy are professional and financial services, healthcare and life sciences, combined traditional A-level and BTEC qualifications.

The launch event invited young people to get hands on with industry standard equipment including a spectroscopy machine to explore the principles of spectroscopic techniques and Sim Man; a full body wireless patient simulator.

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Secondary News

Around the world Girls SHINE at Merchant Taylors’ Faces were beaming again this year at the annual launch of Merchant Taylors’ Girls’ School SHINE programme.

This is the fifth year of the Support and Help In Education (SHINE) programme that Merchants’ runs through a combination of its own funding and support from the UK SHINE Charity Trust.

This year the launch event welcomed 21 girls from six local primary schools; Waterloo, All Saints, Valewood, Forefield, Longmoor and St Oswald’s.

The 15 week programme, entitled ‘Around the World in 15 Saturdays’, is designed to improve attainment and raise aspirations of all the girls involved.

It combines exciting and creative lessons around topics that expand and enrich the national curriculum. It is also a lot of fun!

For example the session based around maths looks at how not everyone learns the subject in the same way and provides the girls with new methods and the opportunity to try some mathematical games from around the world.

At the end of the programme all the girls have gained enough confidence to make a presentation to the programme staff, schools VIPs, their own families and staff from their schools.

Miss Ladbrook, the programme coordinator, spoke to the girls and staff from the participating schools to explain why

they had been chosen and told them a little about the exciting activities they would be doing over the next 15 Saturdays.

Patron of the Merchants’ programme, children’s author Kate Maryon, attended and read the girls a chapter of her book ‘Glitter’. She then signed a personal copy for each girl. Kate’s first book was called ‘Shine’.

Miss Ladbrook said: “I am so excited to welcome the new cohort to this year’s programme. I feel privileged to be able to

watch the girls grow in confidence over the time they are with us.

“Their families also become engaged, which is an essential part to the programme’s success, and by week 15 when they see the girls present to a room of people (including their peers, staff and family members) there usually isn’t a dry eye in the house.

“I would like to thank all the staff and our sixth form girls involved in delivering the programme, I’m very proud of their dedication and commitment.”

Sporting promise from pupils Inline Skating World Champion Jenna Downing visited the Wirral to meet pupils from Bebington High Sports College and celebrate the success of the sporting promise programme, an initiative encouraging more young people to take part in PE and school sport.

Jenna, the world’s number one female inline skater and ten times British Champion, is an ambassador for the Sporting Promise and the Youth Sport Trust and joined 60 students to take part in a dance workshop, parkour, street cheer and dodgeball.

Jenna said: “We all recognise the benefits of physical activity but in order for young people to engage and create good habits for life, we need to create variety and make sport fun. The Sporting Promise programme provides young people with opportunities to try out some really exciting sports.

“It was great to see these kids enjoying themselves through these different sports, demonstrating that there is an activity out there for everyone.”

Brian Jordan, headteacher at Bebington High Sports College, said: “The morning was fun and inspiring and we’re delighted to be a part of the sporting promise.

“It has been an honour to welcome a world champion in Jenna Downing and have her share tips and advice with the students who have all enjoyed getting involved in these different activities.”

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Inline Skating World Champion Jenna Downing joins pupils in a warm up routine

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Start September Call 0151 521 3088 to make an appointment

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Meet the Headteacher Dave Smith, Halewood CE Primary School

Knowsley’s Halewood CE Primary School ended 2015 on a high thanks to awards victory and league table recognition.

Headteacher Dave Smith shares some of the school’s secrets to success with Educate.

Capital of Culture

by Natasha Young

W

inning the Most Inspirational Primary School prize at November’s Educate Awards was the latest in a line of achievements acknowledging everything from Halewood CE Primary School’s work with pupils to its roles as an employer and a church school.

The accolade followed a recent inclusion within The Sunday Times’ 2015 list of the top 200 primary schools, as well as being awarded Investors in People’s ‘gold’ accreditation and a Church & School Partnership Award Two. Dave Smith has been at the helm of Halewood since 2005 and believes the key to the oversubscribed school’s continuing run of success lies within the culture that has been put in place under his leadership.

“My belief is around the power of children to believe in themselves, have a go, take risks, be filled with energy and enthusiasm and the sort of things that make a difference,” he says.

“We’ve worked a lot on the culture for the children, the staff, the governors and everybody in the community around. (By instilling that)] you can make a difference, you can taste success and 38

you can enjoy learning, you’re changing the mindset of some of the children and some of the community.

“We’ve been very successful for quite a long time now and I would say a lot of that is down to the culture of learning, the desire to succeed and a determination that’s married with that, and showing children we’ll give them the best chance they can have. No child should be left behind.”

One school initiative at the heart of this approach is the two-year Halewood Child of Excellence programme, aiming to provide a “values driven curriculum” as it focuses each half-term on one of 12 different principles.

“In the last half term we looked at wisdom, what it is to be wise and making really good decisions, whether that’s about [children’s] personal learning or how they should act, speak or react,” explains Dave. “It’s about building a school community where there’s a big respect for one another.

“We base everything on the ‘three Rs’ in our school; the right to feel and be safe, the right to learn and the right to be treated with respect.

“Children need to learn mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually so that’s a really important element for us as a school.”

As well as creating a strong school

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

“

Children need to learn mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually so that’s a really important element for us as a school

”

community, such values are also said to be integral when it comes to standing children in good stead for the future.

“The biggest thrill that I see is turning out rounded children who are prepared for life beyond Halewood CE Primary School emotionally, socially and academically,” says Dave.

“I often say to my Year 6 pupils when they leave that the type of person you are and the values you hold are more important than what achievement you have.

“I think a lot of secondary schools are very complimentary about the type of children we send to them as opposed to them being bright and able children but not very pleasant with it.”

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Having initially trained as a secondary school teacher specialising in design and technology, Dave has reached his current position by following opportunities and taking on responsibilities as they have come about in his career.

A lack of jobs in the secondary field saw Dave find a way in to primary teaching at Hale CE Primary School in Halton which he never looked back from, before progressing to an acting deputy head role at Sylvester Primary School and then onto Malvern Primary School in Huyton.

Whilst he insists becoming a headteacher was another step he didn’t necessarily set out to take, Dave says the vision and strategic direction for Halewood CE Primary School is “very clear”.

“We know where we're going and

what we want for the children,” he says, explaining that the leadership team is never complacent about where it is heading.

“There’s an expectation around teachers, an expectation around learning, an expectation around outcomes for children and the whole thing has momentum and it works because we revisit it.

“We’re very keen to evaluate it and what that looks like for our children, our staff and our parents.”

A run of recognition from outside of the school at the moment though could surely be seen as a confidence boost that Halewood is firmly on the right path.

“We're very proud and very thankful that everyone has bought in to where we're trying to get to.

“It means a lot [to be receiving

recognition] and we're delighted with all the news and the accolades.

“We're obviously over the moon and it's lovely to see, but we're also aware that sustainability is key in all success and not being complacent about what's happened.”

As a new year begins Dave is optimistic about what it will bring for Halewood, whilst remaining aware of the challenges brought about by the “changing landscape of education”.

“We’re obviously looking at the changes that come within education, in the curriculum and in assessment which mean you’ve forever got to be on the edge of research knowing what to do next and how to change with what is expected,” he says, adding: “We’re excited about 2016 because it’s another year and another opportunity to give these children a brilliant deal.”

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Secondary News

New perspectives Final building work complete at SFX College SFX College has opened several new buildings following a multi-million pound investment funded

by Liverpool city council.

The £7.6 million development, which comprises a new science block, sports complex and music suite as well as the refurbishment of existing buildings, has been completed in several phases.

It is part of a £169 million scheme which is seeing 17 new and refurbished schools funded through a mix of investment from the Government and contributions from the council.

The school’s new specialist science block, which was completed in September, spans three floors dedicated to chemistry, biology and physics and houses two 90 sqm highspecification labs on each floor.

For the first time in the school’s history, students now

enter the site via Woolton Hill Road instead of the original entrance on Beaconsfield Road, a change which was designed to improve the school’s safety and security.

The brand new music suite in the Nugent building comprises two specialist, fully equipped classrooms, four practice rooms, a dedicated rehearsal room and a recording studio.

The final piece of the jigsaw for SFX College, this impressive building, which has been designed so that sports can be played at club and regional level, offers facilities for five-a-side football, badminton, volley ball, netball, indoor cricket and athletics.

To complement the sports hall, the school also boasts a covered and floodlit multi-use games area (MUGA) as well as 26 acres of playing fields including a cricket square, four football pitches, a practice

Going the extra mile

The new sports complex

rugby pitch and access to a squash club on site. DDAcompliant changing and hygiene rooms, together with a fitness suite, are also available at the sports complex.

SFX students collaborated with architects to have their say on the design of the new buildings, choosing the colour scheme, name and even the layout of the toilets!

Les Rippon, headteacher at St Francis Xavier’s College,

said: “I am so pleased that the building project is finally finished and the students can begin to benefit from the school’s outstanding new facilities.

“This modernisation of the school means that for the first time our facilities will match our quality of the education we provide, and staff and students will be able to get the most of their learning environment.”

Lights, camera, action

Pupils from Year 7 at St Edward’s College, West Derby took part in a fun zumba to raise money for Lepra raising a fantastic £1,965.84.

Jacqui Fairbairn from Lepra said: “Students and their families from St Edward’s College have always gone the extra mile each and every year with their fundraising and have to date donated £14,544.75 in total to help 581 people to regain their health and their lives.”

Pupils go that extra mile whilst having fun

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The Grange High School in Runcorn has joined forces with Media and Digital Ltd to create promotional videos, press releases, website content and much more, to highlight all the good news at the school.

Headteacher, Ms Vincent, said: “The Grange School are harnessing the power of exciting new digital technologies like video and social media to connect instantly with parents to demonstrate our values and celebrate the successes of our learners.

“It is a fantastic collaboration between the school and a marketing agency through their unique ‘MediaHub’ programme.

“It has enabled The Grange High School to provide our students with exceptional learning experiences whilst also promoting the school to the wider community.

“The programme works on multiple levels within the school as it raises self-esteem for the students involved and promotes a feel-good factor, creating a real buzz around school. This then translates to the outside world through social media, local media and word of mouth”.

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STATE-OF-THE-ART,

SCIENCE, SPORT &

CREATIVE MEDIA

SIXTH FORM FACILITIES Sixth Form Open Evening Tuesday 2 February at 6.30pm We aim for excellence and our commitment to this is reflected in the investment in our new, state-of-the-art Sixth Form Science, Sport and Creative Media facilities.

Our Sixth Form offers a wide range of subjects and remains firmly committed to maintaining a first class reputation with employers and Higher Education institutions.

To find out more please call 0151 288 1000 or email admin@sfx.liverpool.sch.uk St Francis Xavier’s College, Woolton Hill Road, Liverpool L25 6EG

www.sfx.liverpool.sch.uk

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Insight: Secondary School to Sixth Form

Sixth Form:

A Stepping Stone to Success

FURTHER EDUCATION COLLEGE

SPECIALIST COLLEGE

SIXTH FORM COLLEGE

STAY AT SCHOOL

BY JENNIFER CHAMBERLAIN

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Insight: Secondary School to Sixth Form

Throughout a student’s academic career, there are a number of key transitions; jumping from primary to secondary school is often considered the most significant change with the move to university following close behind. Whilst the two intermittent college years may seem like a mere stepping stone to higher education, making the right decision about where to go and what to study at sixth form is crucial for a student’s future.

Across the Liverpool City Region, students are spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing where to study; whether they stay at school, move to a sixth form college, a further education college (FE college) or even specialist college. But whilst there are more post 16 options available than ever for young people, it’s important that every student takes time out of their busy GCSE year to do some research and ensure they make the best choice for their future.

STAYING AT SCHOOL Although it seems that students are opting to move around more in recent years, staying on at school is still the most popular option for young people, and there are many reasons why. Having studied for five years at the same school, students will be familiar with all aspects of their learning environment and are perfectly placed to make the most of established relationships with teachers and their peers. Although it may seem obvious, the benefit of this familiarity should not be underestimated; a closer working relationship between students and teachers can ensure an almost seamless transition between GCSE and advanced level education, and help students progress more quickly with their studies. It also relieves the pressure of getting used to a new environment and making new friends. This is particularly valuable for students who require extra support and structure in their education such as young people with special educational

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needs or a disability.

Due to changes introduced in September 2015, A-levels are now fully linear meaning that students take all their examinations at the end of the two year course, rather than in modular form. Having less opportunity to re-sit failed examinations may encourage students to stay on at school and stick with what they know rather than risk moving to another institution.

However, one thing for students to consider is that schools generally offer less choice in terms of subjects and tend to focus on traditional academic subjects. This may inhibit students who need to study a specific subject to access their chosen career path, or young people who want to study a more vocational course.

Calderstones School, winner of Educate Awards 2015 Career Aspiration award, offers mainly A-levels in the sixth form, but also offers some BTEC and OCR qualifications. Careers, information, advice and guidance are regarded as an integral part of the holistic development of students at Calderstones School and teachers at the school strive to inform students of the opportunities that are available, such as links with local and national businesses to enhance students’ work experience as well as partnerships with universities. Enrichment opportunities, such as the Duke of Edinburgh, are offered at Calderstones as well as numerous leadership opportunities. Such roles may not be as readily available in a college where there are no younger students to mentor.

SWAPPING SCHOOLS Other young people like the idea of staying in a school environment but are simply looking for a change and there is a growing trend across the

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

Liverpool City Region of students moving to other schools to study for their A-levels. As a result, many school sixth forms compete to not only retain their best students but also attract external applicants. Unlike in secondary school, rules on catchment areas do not apply in the same way and entry grades tend to be relaxed, with most schools requiring 5 A*- C grades at GCSE to progress into the sixth form. Perhaps some students have friends at other schools or they could be looking to make the move from a single sex school to co-educational, or vice versa – there are a multitude of reasons.

However, starting at a school where friendship groups are already formed can be isolating for some young people, and pre-existing cliques can make it harder to fit in. Entering into an established environment as a newcomer is not easy, and the added pressure of an increased work load at an advanced level can make the transition even more challenging. In some cases, this has led to students returning to their original schools in the first term of Year 12.

MOVING ON TO SIXTH FORM Students looking to leave school may prefer to go to a standalone sixth form college where, although students may come in friendship groups, it is a new environment and everybody is in the same boat. Attending a separate sixth form college can be a fantastic option for students who may not have had a positive experience of secondary school and are looking for a new start. sixth form colleges can be seen as a stepping stone between school and universities and are also a halfway house between the contained structure offered at Years 12 and 13 at school and the laissez faire approach fostered at FE colleges.

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Insight: Secondary School to Sixth Form

Sixth form colleges have proven to be very successful in preparing students for higher education and the world of work. Indeed, there is research to show that students at sixth form colleges are more likely to achieve top grades at A-level than those who stay on at school.

This may be due in part to the fact that sixth form colleges employ teachers that specialise in A-level provision and have more experience working with students in the 16-18 age bracket.

Carmel College in St Helens has been recognised as the top sixth form college in the country for A-level progress and is a popular choice for students in the area. Having invested £23 million in technology-rich facilities, Carmel College offers an outstanding learning environment which many schools cannot match.

Rob Peacock, principal at Carmel College, believes that sixth form colleges provide the best opportunities for those who opt for a broad based education at 16. “The fact that our teachers specialise in A-level and other post 16 qualifications makes them real experts in their subjects,” says Rob. “Giving our students this choice ensures that education at Carmel is genuinely personalised. We offer a half-way house between school and university or apprenticeships where students develop as independent learners but are none the less supported by post 16 specialists.”

Another institution flying the flag for sixth form colleges is Birkenhead Sixth Form, which prides itself on the experience it offers students in Wirral.

Exemplifying how sixth form colleges get the balance right between offering independent learning and keeping hold of school traditions, Birkenhead Sixth Form has an elected Head Boy or Head Girl, offers a number of subject trips and expeditions and holds Christmas and summer college productions. It also offers students support in a number of ways which are akin to at school,

Giving our students this choice ensures that education at Carmel is genuinely personalised. We offer a half-way house between school and university or apprenticeships where students develop as independent learners but are none the less supported by post 16 specialists.

Rob Peacock principal at Carmel College

such as assigning each student a personal tutor as well as offering other forms of pastoral care.

Recently, the sixth form has announced a number of subsidised college bus services for students from as far as Neston so that travel no longer has to be a barrier to students wanting to access specialist sixth form education.

GOING FURTHER For some young people, the prospect of attending a FE college is especially exciting. FE colleges are more like universities in their delivery of education, and the informal environment offered can be appealing to students who want to feel grown up and in charge of their own education.

Even the prospect of no dress code can be a draw for students who may feel that their identity was stifled by strict school uniforms. Factors such as sharing classes with mature students, and addressing teachers by their first names, also help to set FE colleges apart from schools which can be excellent preparation for higher education.

However, students who are less confident and less mature or are simply not ready to manage their own learning, may struggle.

The City of Liverpool College is housed in a £100 million campus in the heart of the city centre, making it easily accessible from all areas across the region. The college models itself on a university system and alongside its extensive course offering, has an active student union and enrichment team which encourages students to make the most of their free time.

There are a huge number of flexible course

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Insight: Secondary School to Sixth Form

options available at The City of Liverpool College, including a wide variety of vocational courses which students are simply unable to access at a school or sixth form college. FE colleges, such as The City of Liverpool College, are also useful for young people who are less successful at GCSE but want to continue their education by offering qualifications starting at varying levels.

In addition, apprenticeships and other work based learning options can be more readily accessed through FE colleges, and timetables can be flexible to include evening courses.

.

SPECIALISE SOONER During their education, students are often given mixed messages about whether to specialise in a chosen field or keep their options open by choosing facilitating subjects. Whilst 16 may seem like a young age to specialise, and most students wait until degree level, many young people know exactly which direction they would like to follow after their GCSEs. For these students, specialist colleges can be the preferred path.

In September 2016, LIPA Sixth Form will open its doors to selected students wishing to pursue a career in the creative and performing arts.

LIPA Sixth Form College, which will be situated in Liverpool city centre, will enable students to specialise in: Acting, Dance, Technical Theatre, Performance Design, Music Performance or Technology, studying at BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (each equivalent to three A-levels). These courses are offered as part of a programme of study which includes the further development of English and maths skills for all students, as well as the development of employment skills.

“LIPA Sixth Form College is unique as we are the only specialist performing arts sixth form college in the North West of England.

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There is a growing trend across the Liverpool City Region of students moving to other school to study for their A-levels.

As a result, many school sixth forms compete to not only retain their best students but also attract external applicants.

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

This entails us being based in an outstanding specialist facility (designed and built to our specifications) and taught by a team of highly experienced practitioners in their given specialisms,” says Charles Bartholomew, director of LIPA Sixth Form. “In addition, we will also benefit from the input of The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), which is a worldrenowned centre for performing arts learning.

All students take part in a well-considered but challenging selection process, which enables them to decide whether a life in the performing and creative arts is for them, as personal commitment is key to their success Other popular specialist colleges in the region include Myerscough College’s Liverpool centre at Croxteth Park, which specialises in Horticulture and land based education and training, and the sixth form at Liverpool Life Sciences UTC for students wishing to secure a career in Science or Healthcare.

MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE With stiff competition between schools, sixth form colleges and FE colleges, every institution will try to convince students that their college is the best.

However, deciding which path to take into higher education is an incredibly personal choice and largely depends on a student’s desired career path but also on their character and work ethic. For some young people, the freedom and opportunity for independent learning offered at an FE college is enough to inspire them. Others will be perfectly happy to stay in the safe and familiar arms of their school and, for those who are looking for something in between, sixth form colleges offer a balanced gateway into higher education.

Ultimately, it’s not about finding the best college; it’s about finding the right one.

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THE TOP SIXTH FORM COLLEGE IN THE COUNTRY

FOR A LEVEL PROGRESS

ALPS, Oct 2015

100% in 37 subjects

99.3% A Level Pass Rate

81.2% High Grades A*-C

100% BTEC Pass Rate

OPEN DAY

SATURDAY 6TH FEBRUARY 10am-2pm Visit Carmel in the daylight!

If you’re in Years 10 or 11, come along to see why Carmel is a great choice for your next step towards a bright future.

Apply online by Friday 26th February 2016 at www.carmel.ac.uk

I have loved my time at Carmel. The teachers are always willing to help and support you and it’s a lovely place to learn. I have met lots of people and will hold fond memories of my time here.

Hannah Baines St Edward’s College Biology, A, Maths A, Chemistry A Now studying Biomedical Sciences at Lancaster University

Carmel College, Prescot Road, St Helens, Merseyside WA10 3AG Tel: 01744 452200 (Reception) 01744 452214 / 452212 (Admissions) Email: info@carmel.ac.uk

Want to know more?

www.carmel.ac.uk

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A Catholic College for the Community

@CarmelCollege

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Secondary News

Solidarity and support Teachers brave the shave for Shannon Teachers at Liverpool Life Sciences UTC sacrificed their beards to raise money for Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity that the school has been closely involved with after one of their students endured a long and difficult struggle with cancer.

Just before Shannon Thompson was

due to start chemotherapy, her friends at the Baltic Triangle school in Liverpool stepped forward and volunteered to shave their heads in a kind-hearted act of solidarity and support, whilst at the same time raising over £2000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust in the process.

Now teachers at the school have also

A cut above - staff and students from Liverpool Life Sciences UTC

got on board by having their beards shaved off in front of students by a team of barbers from Voodou, the popular Liverpool hair salon. They raised over £700 on the morning, and donations have continued to be received.

Shannon Thompson, student at the Liverpool Life Sciences UTC, said: “Seeing so many staff and students coming together in honour of everything I’ve been through was just utterly overwhelming.

“There was so much energy and enthusiasm in the room while the teachers were having their beards shaved, with everyone laughing and reaching deep into their pockets to support the Teenage Cancer Trust.

‘The past six months have been tough, there’s no denying that, but I’ve managed to remain upbeat and positive throughout it all.

“Being able to maintain this attitude has been invaluable, and really helped me through everything. It goes without saying that I couldn’t have kept my chin up so well if it wasn’t for my family, my friends at the UTC, and the ongoing support of the staff. Time and time again they’ve shown me that they are by my side.

“I’d also like to thank the Teenage Cancer Trust for being with me every step of the way.”

School are riding high Calderstones School has become the first city school to partner with citybike to help pupils learn about road safety and increase physical activity.

Calderstones pupils with their citybikes

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Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

As part of an initiative with Liverpool’s cycle hire scheme and cycling co-operative Peloton, pupils at Calderstones School will have access to citybike as part of PE lessons.

The famous green bikes will be used under supervision as an alternative activity to help pupils become more confident on two wheels and help promote a healthy active lifestyle.

Assistant headteacher Sian York said: “We have always used Calderstones Park for some outdoor PE lessons like cross country. It is great that with two citybike stations in the park we will now be able to offer all pupils access to the scheme so they can become more confident travelling by bike safely and discover a new way to keep active.”

Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, cabinet member for regeneration, transport and climate change, at Liverpool Council, said: “This is great news for pupils at Calderstones School. The initiative is set to give pupils a good grounding in responsible cycling, which should in turn encourage them to remain lifelong cyclists.”

Peloton will also be offering the school a Dr Bike service to repair pupils own bikes and show them how to maintain them.

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Do you have a passion for Science or Healthcare?

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Secondary News

Students win place in Big Bang final

Broughton Hall Catholic High School won the regional West Cheshire College prize for innovation for their project on hydrophobic coatings and their resilience, at the Big Bang event.

The judges were particularly impressed by the girls’ professional presentation, fantastic methodology and communication.

By winning this prize they are now shortlisted for the national Big Bang competition which will be held in the NEC in March 2016.

Matthew Sharples, a member of the science department, said: “Some examples of the assignments the girls have been involved in are the impact of war on animals, angles of spatter in blood spot analysis, what kind of animal could survive a nuclear war and hydrophobic coatings

and their resilience.

“We are committed to nurturing talent, realising potential and encouraging participation across all aspects of the curriculum.

“Our STEM club is an excellent example of just one of the opportunities available to our pupils. It encourages girls to think independently and ultimately pursue careers in STEM-related areas.

“We wish our pupils every success as they prepare for the national competition in March, we are truly proud of their achievements thus far.

“STEM club is a reflection of the aspirations we have for all our pupils and is just one of the many opportunities which encourages them to challenge themselves to aim higher”.

Showing community spirit Students and staff at Litherland High School (LHS) got in to the festive spirit by undertaking lots of projects to spread cheer throughout the local community.

As part of a ‘Business in the Community’ scheme LHS have been working with One Vision Housing and Sovini. Their latest project involved inviting members of the local community to come into school for a Christmas dinner and show.

Seventeen local residents enjoyed an amazing three course meal prepared and served to them by the GCSE catering students. The residents were entertained by the school choir who sang carols as the residents ate.

The student fundraising committee then presented the guests with Christmas hampers which were made up from donations given by students in Years 10 and 11.

The guests were then treated to a special Christmas performance which was also attended by pupils from The Grange, Netherton Moss and St Philip’s primary schools.

Many of the students have said the community and fundraising work they have 50

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

undertaken has been one of the most rewarding things they have ever done, especially giving gifts to members of the community.

Liverpool’s future entrepreneurs Studio@Deyes, the Business and Technology school opening into Wavertree in September 2016, will be working with the city’s Chamber of Commerce to train and develop the region’s future business leaders.

Liverpool and Sefton Chamber of Commerce currently works with over 1400 businesses.

Playing a central role in the creation of jobs and promotion of local business, it seemed logical to partner with Studio@Deyes.

The partnership bridges the gap between education and the workplace. Dean Lythgoe, headteacher of Studio@Deyes, said: “So often businesses want to get involved with schools but don’t know how. Studio@Deyes is at the forefront of an education movement that offers businesses and employers an easy route into education.

“We want our students to be exposed to the exciting opportunities and reality of the working world.”

Liverpool and Sefton Chamber of Commerce are amongst many other businesses who have joined the new school in their mission.

At the heart of Studio@Deyes is a passion to equip the young people in the Liverpool City Region with employability skills which ensure that they will thrive in the working world.

Studio@Deyes is the newest addition to the Lydiate Learning Trust, whose flagship school is Deyes High School in Maghull.

Lydiate Learning Trust works with schools and academies to raise the standards of education in Merseyside and ensure every young person has the opportunity to flourish.

Ann Stahler, executive headteacher of the Lydiate Learning Trust said: “Studio@Deyes is an outstanding addition to the options for 14-19 year olds in the Liverpool City Region. We have worked with employers to develop a curriculum that is focused on the growth sectors of our city which means the students are equipped with the qualifications and skills to go on to be successful leaders in Liverpool and beyond.”

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Meet the Headteacher Frances Harrison, Savio Salesian College

In the teaching profession, the role of headteacher is a position to aspire to and represents ultimate success in the field. But for some headteachers in the region, a recent shift in leadership models has taken the role to new heights.

Achieving success

by Jennifer Chamberlain

H

aving spent her entire teaching career at Notre Dame Catholic College in Everton, in July 2015 executive headteacher Frances Harrison took on the challenge of heading up a second school, Savio Salesian College in Bootle. Now at the helm of both schools, Frances believes that setting high standards is the key to achieving widespread success.

Despite her achievements in education, Frances never wanted to be a teacher. Having studied science at university in the 1970s, she was keen to take advantage of the new chemical companies emerging in the Liverpool city region to embark on a career in the science industry. However, when looking for work after graduation, Frances was asked to assist at a local secondary school which didn’t have a science teacher.

“I didn’t want to help out because I didn’t want to work with children at all, and I certainly didn’t want to work in the area I lived in,” explains Frances.

“But I did it, and it was an epiphany. It came by accident but it was the best thing that could’ve happened. There was something I felt I really had to offer.

I loved teaching science and I’ve been teaching ever since!”

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Having spent two years teaching part time, and without any teaching qualifications, Frances left the school to study for a post graduate certificate in education. It was during her return to university that she first came across Notre Dame Catholic College. “I’d already taught for two years so when I actually went on teaching practice I found it a bit of a doddle,” she admits.

“My first school was Notre Dame. I went as a student teacher then was offered a post and stayed right the way through, taking on various roles and responsibilities and eventually worked my way up to headship.”

Although content in her leadership role at Notre Dame Catholic College, Frances felt she had something to offer when asked to consider the position at Savio Salesian College and believed she could use the schools’ similar Catholic ethos to her advantage when managing both sites.

“As an executive headteacher, you are legally responsible for both schools in terms of finance, health and safety regulations and outcomes in terms of results and behaviour. That is a very significant thing to take on. It’s incredibly challenging and so you have to make sure that the systems, procedures and the teams that you have in both schools are realising the vision that you have.”

Having completed her first term as

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

“

As an executive headteacher, you are legally responsible for both schools in terms of finance, health and safety regulations and outcomes in terms of results and behaviour

”

headteacher of Savio Salesian College, Frances reflects on the difference she has begun to make in keeping with her vision for the school. With limited prior knowledge of the school, Frances believes that a lack of pre-conceptions has worked in her favour and allowed her to bring a fresh perspective to the table.

“One of the things that struck me, and one of the things I’d learnt from Notre Dame, is how important the learning environment is,” explains Frances, who was heavily involved in the design process of Notre Dame’s state of the art building. “Savio Salesian College was built in 1964 and not a great deal has happened to it in that space of time - it’s a very traditional building. So I’ve tried to modernise it and create an

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environment which is light and matches the needs of the students.”

And it’s not only the school’s appearance that has been improved since the new head’s arrival, but the students’ too. Before joining the school, Frances secured funding to introduce a new uniform for students and, although the idea wasn’t initially well received, when the students returned in September the new uniform was hailed a success by all.

Although a new dress code and a fresh lick of paint may not seem like the most obvious place to start, Frances explains that it all comes down to raising standards. Mirroring the standards set for students at Notre Dame Catholic College, Frances is keen to implement high expectations of behaviour, safety and discipline at Savio Salesian College, including a zero tolerance on low level disruption in classes in an effort to keep respect at the top of the agenda.

Passionate that teachers should act as role models for students, Frances has also worked alongside staff to raise teaching standards, focusing in on a

range of areas including the way teachers present themselves, how they address their students and how to plan lessons within the Salesian vision.

It’s important that standards are sustained across the board, not least for Frances herself. “I drive myself very hard and work very long hours because you have to in this job, but, equally so, I have a good balance in my life, I look after myself and have a family life which is important,” she explains. “I make an effort in everything I do. It’s about high expectations of oneself and if you have that then you can justifiably have high expectations of the students and the staff.”

For Frances, building and sustaining strong relationships with parents, as well as staff and students, is fundamental to a school’s success. She believes that the partnership between schools and parents is incredibly important, and one which must be based on trust. The notion of being in loco parentis is important to Frances; an element she believes has been lost in the teaching profession over time. She feels that many people do not fully

understand the extent to which teachers need to nurture students as well as educate them.

“Children have to be fed, they have to have access to toilets, they have to be dressed appropriately; they have to be in an environment that is safe and comfortable to live in,” explains Frances. “All of those things as a head teacher you are responsible for on a day to day basis. I always tell parents that I become the parent when their child is at school.”

For Frances Harrison, taking on the role of executive head teacher at two Liverpool schools has been a case of so far so good but, as a conscientious leader, she will not rest on her laurels.

“The minute I thought I wasn’t doing a good job and was not able to achieve what I set out to, I would go back to Notre Dame,” says Frances. “But at the moment I feel incredibly fulfilled professionally and being able to share my experience has given me a new confidence. It’s extremely rewarding to see that my vision for Savio Salesian College is having a positive impact in a relatively short space of time.”

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Viewpoint

Learning while earning A report from the government’s skills experts the UK Commission for Employment and Skills has revealed that the number of 16 and 17 year olds working part-time has halved from 42% in 1996 to only 18% in 2014. The report found the main reason for this is a desire by young people to boost their grades by focusing on their studies alone, rather than also having a part-time job.

Experience of the world of work is something employers are frequently quoted as saying is a number one ‘ask’ when recruiting. How important is ‘real’ work experience to young people and how can this be balanced against study time?

Lesley Martin-Wright - chief executive Knowsley Chamber of Commerce Work experience is essential. Rather than it impacting on grades, I believe it reinforces the practical value of a subject and what has been learned. Literacy and numeracy skills are the building blocks of the “world of work” eg. Problem solving, accurate notetaking, mental arithmetic (even “times tables” come in useful!).

Whilst students may state that there is a desire to increase grades, our own research indicates that there are also far fewer companies offering part-time work or unpaid volunteer positions; statutory obligations under health and safety compliance are frequently cited. For example under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, an employer has a responsibility to ensure that a young person (anyone under 18 years) is not exposed to risk due to their lack of experience, being unaware of existing or potential risks, and/or lack of maturity. A

business must also consider issues such as the layout of the workplace, work equipment and processes, etc, and safeguarding issues including DBS checks for staff working with children (whether the placement is paid or unpaid).

I was encouraged to take up a part-time job from the age of 15, and had the opportunity to work in a small local shop. Getting to grips with the till, being accurate when handling cash transactions, and then stock taking etc was initially very daunting. Dealing with customers face to face was a learning curve; whilst the majority of customers were great not everyone was polite or friendly. A sharp learning curve for me on customer service, and, of course, knowing when to call the manager for back up!

Cllr Nick Small, assistant Mayor of Liverpool I think there are a variety of factors at work here. Raising the participation age to 18 has meant that there are more 16 and 17 year olds than ever in education or training. In Liverpool, for instance, we’ve got more 16 and 17 year olds doing apprenticeships than other cities. That means fewer young people in part-time work. Young people are working harder and are more focused on their goals than used to be the case, so it doesn’t surprise me that more young people are focusing on their studies. But I do worry that young people aren’t getting enough

exposure to the world of work. When I was studying I worked a variety of different jobs – I had a paper round, I worked in a supermarket and at one stage at McDonalds. As well as earning money, I learnt the importance of work, customer service and always doing your best. These are important values for young people to learn. You can learn these lessons by working part-time, but also in other ways like doing good quality work experience in school and volunteering.”

Maria Hart, marketing and sixth form extended work experience manager, Liverpool Compact EBP In today’s competitive world achieving good qualifications is imperative but not enough alone to secure employment or a university place. So yes, this report does concern me. I would urge young people and in particular sixth formers to find a balance and gain some valuable experience in the workplace for a manageable period of time, rather than entirely dismissing it.

Again and again employers and universities tell me how important it is for young people to have ‘work experience’ so

that not only do they have the qualifications but the skills and qualities required to succeed in work. Developing employability skills is a must – good communication skills, ‘people skills’, customer awareness, team work, willingness to learn and problem solving skills. All this can be learnt in the workplace – through a part time job, summer work or regular work experience whilst in school. This develops confidence and up to date business awareness in young people. This is crucial.

Have your say: To suggest or contribute to a topic for debate in Viewpoint email us at: educate@merseymirror.com www.educatemagazine.com 54

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St Helens Schools’ News

Safety first As part of the annual Crucial Crew event - organised by St Helens Council and other local agencies around 2,000 Year 5 primary school pupils from across the borough acted out life-saving scenarios, as a way of highlighting awareness of personal safety, crime prevention and social responsibility.

Held at Langtree Park stadium, the two week scheme is designed to teach children in a fun and interactive way, how to become more aware of a variety of issues including personal safety and avoid knowing what to do in an emergency.

The council’s road safety team was on hand to deliver information about being safe on roads and the environmental health team talked about hazards at home and how to be safe while using the internet, whilst the rangers discussed

Longest to reign

St Helens pupils at the Crucial Crew event

safety in parks.

Meanwhile, the British Transport Police discussed the dangers of playing on or near to railway tracks, and Merseyside Police explained to the pupils how to make a 999 call - and introduced them to the 101 number as a way of reporting a crime and other concerns that do not require an emergency response.

St Helens Council’s cabinet member for

green, smart and sustainable borough, Cllr Seve Gomez-Aspron said: “The Crucial Crew event is always a great way for young people to learn about safety on so many different issues.

“I’d like to thank all the staff involved in delivering this successful scheme and the children themselves for being so attentive and getting involved in the sessions.”

A splashing time

Garswood Primary School’s ‘British Values’ day in recognition of Queen Elizabeth II

Garswood Primary School got the party started to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen becoming the longest serving monarch to rule Britain – by holding a ‘British Values’ day at the school.

A special assembly was held in the morning to teach the children – who came dressed to school in red, white and blue - about the history of the British monarchy and were treated to an afternoon of making music to create their very own interpretation of the British monarchy, courtesy of Key Strings Musical Education.

Throughout the day, the children got stuck into a number of arts and crafts activities which included making stamps, flags and portraits of Queen Elizabeth II – and also wrote letters and sent a tweet to her official Twitter account, congratulating her on achieving 63 years on the throne.

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Broad Oak Primary School

Children at Broad Oak Primary School had a splashing time as they got the opportunity to soak teachers and staff with icy water – to support a classmate who is fighting cancer.

Throughout the week, the school held various fundraising activities, including three after-school discos with raffles – with the lucky winners chosen to pour buckets of ice-cold water over members of staff at the end of the school week.

The events collected over £1600 for CLIC Sargent, a children’s cancer charity that has supported brave Year 2 pupil Alex Prescott as he battles Pre B Lymphoblastic Lymphoma - a type of

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

blood cancer.

Headteacher, Melanie Hignett, who could not escape a good drenching from Alex, said: “As part of our Broad Oak family ethos, we decided to hold a fundraising week to show that we are fully behind Alex as he overcomes his illness.

“He is a courageous little boy and it was heart-warming to see him have such a big, cheeky smile on his face – even if he was soaking me with freezing cold water.

Alex’s mum Michelle also took part in her very own fundraising event by shaving all of her hair off as she aims to raise money for CLIC Sargent.

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discover the history… appreciate the sacrifice… remember the experience…

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Thoughts Worth Sharing

CURRICULUM VITAE

EDUCATION STATS

Rob Peacock Principal, Carmel College

Your education: My primary school was St Austin’s in Grassendale and, having passed the 11+ exams, I then went to SFX in Woolton. I had always had a fascination for the natural world so in sixth form I opted for my favourite subjects: the sciences. I then went on to study zoology at the University of Manchester and obtained my PGCE at Manchester Polytechnic.

What’s the secret of your success: I try to be clear about what we are trying to achieve, be calm in the face of problems and keep things as simple as possible. I am also a passionate believer that people matter. I am really lucky to have a tremendous team at the college and I believe that it is important to trust in their judgement, their commitment and to support them in their job.

What advice would you give to somebody starting out in education: To students: Remember that you are as capable and have as much to offer as those from anywhere else!

You will have challenges along the way but you can overcome them and achieve great things. Believe in yourself and with hard work you will achieve your potential. To new teachers: it is a real privilege to be a teacher.

You have the opportunity to make a real difference to people’s lives. There will be

challenges along the way but the rewards are tremendous.

What makes Carmel College different: The teachers and support staff here are simply outstanding! They work tirelessly for our students. They are passionate, enthusiastic and really care about those we educate. We also have a huge range of different students here from a very wide area. Our largest cohort are our A-level and Advanced BTEC learners but we also have young people with learning difficulties who are studying pre level 1 courses. We have post A-level courses as well with students working on university degrees including medicine, dentistry and veterinary science.

Tell us about Carmel College plans for the next 12 months: Sixth form education is facing some big changes with the introduction of linear specifications. Our big challenge is to make sure that these are introduced successfully. We are adapting our teaching and learning so that we prepare our young people for a different style of assessment. The college has a reputation for excellence and this year we were told that we had the best value added score of any sixth form college in the country: we aim to maintain that record!

Tweet all about it The five best educational tweets

£1.0 billion

Local Authority spend on schools, education and children and young peoples for 2014-15 is £41.7 billion, a decrease of £1.0 billion from 2013-14.

82 per cent

Percentage of the total schools expenditure is made up of the individual schools budget.

676

676 national schools are below the primary school floor standard. This represents five per cent of state-funded mainstream schools included in the floor calculations.

80 per cent

80 per cent of pupils nationally achieved level 4 or above in all of reading, writing and mathematics, compared to 78 per cent in 2014.

3 in 4

More than three in four pupils met the expected phonics standard in Year 1 (6-years-old) in 2015. This is a three percentage point increase from 2014 at 77 per cent.

@Springwellpark_ It's so exciting - We are all watching the British astronaut Tim Peake launch into space live at 11am @EducateMag

@WirralCouncil We're in Birkenhead at the ground breaking event for Wirral's new @TheHiveYZ - due for completion December 2016!

22.5 per cent

In 2015, 22.5 per cent of pupils in all schools and 23.9 per cent of pupils in state-funded schools achieved the English Baccalaureate

@CllrNickSmall More dialogue with Liverpool City Region employers can only be a good thing to give young people skills for jobs

@JamesTartt It was an absolute honour/privilege to be invited to attend @EducateAwards and acknowledge and witness some inspiring talent.

@JeanStephens66 New strategy to strengthen sport from the grassroots to the elite GOV.UK @MerseysideSport https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-strategy-to-strengthensport-from-the-grassroots-to-the-elite

8.4 million

In 2014-15, 8.4 million 2-19 year-olds are enrolled in 24,317 schools (including nursery) in England, which employ 431,100, full-time qualified teachers.

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Thoughts Worth Sharing

Headteacher Talk

Michael Pennington from

The Blue Coat School

very exercised about inequality and worry about this approach which has skewed school’s attention to what they can do with double and sometimes triple funding. I know from my recent experience as one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors that very often, the strategies that have the most impact are simply centred on good attention from good teachers with high expectations. I am quite convinced that sometimes we can make a problem seem too complicated.

One thing I wished I had learned at school: I always say I was one of life’s slow starters and I am very grateful for the education I got at a comprehensive school in St Helens. I learnt of my talents in mathematics and science very quickly and did well in those areas. Only later in life have I realised how to take my skills and attributes from one area and apply them to bring more success elsewhere. It is this approach that has also taught me how to enjoy things I thought I did not like by approaching them in the way I do.

The book I haven’t read that I must: To answer this question, I feel I should first explain my reading habits! I see books as similar to many other things in life; films, sport, music, etc. One cannot simply say they don’t like them as a whole and therefore equally, it is OK to find more enjoyment and fulfilment in a particular genre than others. Consequently, I must confess I struggle with a novel but get a great deal out of biographies of real people. Reading about the real life struggles and philanthropy of Sir Alex Ferguson and Bear Grylls challenge me to question what I can do to improve myself for the good of others. So when I find some time, next on my list is Lord Alan Sugar’s ‘What you see is what you get’. I am particularly interested in learning about the factors that influenced his social mobility.

The education story that has caught my eye: Nationally, over recent years, the gap between the outcomes of disadvantaged children and others has not closed. While in some places it has narrowed or even diminished, elsewhere it has widened to a degree never seen before. And yet the education sector has targeted this gap with enormous funding? I get

My Favourite

and why

What I am most proud of about our school: The Blue Coat School is a selective academy that takes children from all backgrounds from Liverpool and the surrounding area. Students of many different heritages, faiths and economic backgrounds all do equally well not just because of the support they get from their teachers, but also from the support and care they offer each other. At Blue Coat, it’s not just OK to be different, it’s right to be different. Our student’s recognition of each other’s backgrounds, skills, qualities, interests and individuality contributes massively to the supportive community we strive for. In this way, and many others at Blue Coat, we are always proud that the students really do challenge us to think about how we can use their strengths to develop them even further. each and every young person.

“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact.

It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration.

It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.

Muhammad Ali

”

This is my favourite quote because:

Michelle Dow managing director, MerseySTEM Ltd

We can all inspire others by the way we live our lives, be that our students, colleagues, children or anyone else around us. Muhammed Ali’s words in this quote remind me that change is always possible.

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SCHOOL

SPONSORED BY

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT Primary school pupils hope to spearhead a permaculture revolution by transforming their school garden with reused car tyres and carpet, and composted kitchen waste.

Youngsters at Legh Vale Primary in Haydock have just received their second prestigious green flag award for their sustainable school garden but are hoping to boost their environmental credentials by creating a permaculture showcase in the grounds from re-used and recycled materials.

Pupils, who have won £4,400 from Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority and Veolia’s Community Fund for their latest project, will transform the space re-using tyres for planters and banks, carpets for weed barriers, canteen waste as compost and a host of other items which would otherwise end up in landfill.

Legh Vale Primary headteacher Andy Howard said: “We’re in the middle of Haydock but have lovely grounds that we make the most

of. We’ve had a sustainable garden since 2012 but wanted to take things further to really encourage recycling and reuse of waste.

“The idea is to use it to promote simple and innovative ideas to a wider local audience so they can find new ways to reduce waste and have fun doing it.”

The school plans to use the permaculture garden for a series of teacher training sessions and other events encouraging local families to recycle and reuse more of their own household waste.

Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority chairperson councillor Graham Morgan said: “The great thing about the Legh Vale project is that it is not just encouraging the school’s pupils to become more aware of recycling and waste.

“It’s got real potential to help the whole community change the way they treat household waste and so has an invaluable role to play in reducing Merseyside’s reliance on landfill.”

Bonkers bird boxes

Pupils from Upton Hall School, FCJ marked the start of a new STEM club for Year 7 girls.

Inspired by the ‘RSPB’s Give Nature A Home’ campaign, 45 pupils worked independently, or as a group, to design their own bird box.

These boxes were then placed around the school grounds, ready in time for birds to use for nesting in spring.

Prior to designing their boxes, pupils researched where best to place their boxes, what nesting materials are ideal and what type of housing different species of birds prefer.

Pupils are now trying to spot as many of these fabulous bird boxes as they can when walking around the school grounds and keeping their eyes peeled for any new residents.

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Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

Legh Vale pupils with headteacher Andy Howard (back, right) and MRWA waste strategy policy officer Glynn Stevenson in the school garden.

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Sponsored by

Bringing theatre outdoors Developer supports school outdoor stage build Property developer, Taylor Wimpey, has kicked off Eccleston Mere School’s new year with a £500 cash boost towards its outdoor theatre fund, which is being used to build an outdoor stage and seating area for the children to put on dance and drama performances throughout the school year.

Yvonne Kirk, headteacher at Eccleston Mere, said: “Our fundraising activity throughout the course of the school year goes a long way toward supporting the day-today running of the school, as well as any additional improvements or enhancements we’d like to make during the course of the year.

“We’re delighted to receive any contribution – big or small – and have been blown away by Taylor Wimpey’s generous donation to the school.”

Sue Irving, sales manager for Taylor Wimpey North West, said: “Being so close to

Eccleston Mere Primary School, we’re only too happy to contribute to what promises to be a fantastic venture for the children and the wider community.”

“We hope that our contribution goes some way to boosting the school’s theatre fund and look forward to working with Eccleston Mere again in the future.”

Below: A delighted Yvonne Kirk, headteacher and pupils celebrate their £500 award to help build their outdoor stage.

Born to be wild Children from Kirkby Primary School in Knowsley helped to design and create ‘Learn and Play’ leaflets for Millbrook Park Millennium Green, which is an extensive open parkland with natural grasslands and woodland providing a haven for wildlife, to inspire others to get out and explore their local parks and helping them to discover wild flowers and other wildlife.

The School Council took part on several outdoor workshops through Plantlife’s ‘We’re in the Wild’ project, to inspire them to come up with their own ideas for exploring and discovering parks.

During these workshops they also managed to achieve their John Muir Award, which encourages people to connect with, enjoy, and care for wild places, and the pupils wanted to share their experiences with others.

The ‘We’re in the Wild’ project funded by the Big Lottery is a three year project helping to connect children and young people with their local green spaces.

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Sponsored by

Tree-mendous effort Pupils dig deep and help plant new trees Green fingered pupils from Calderstones School have been working with a green service provider to plant a new tree in the school grounds.

Within the grounds there are over 400 trees which need regular upkeep and earlier this year, one of the beech trees had to be removed as it had become hollow on the inside.

The school’s eco leader Emma Taylor Johnson saw this as the perfect opportunity to teach pupils about the best tree planting practices and give them a hands on horticulture experience.

The Landscape Group (TLG), a green service provider which works alongside many Liverpool schools, was invited to the school to provide an engaging and educational session.

The workshop included a brief explanation behind the replanting, best practices when planting semi-mature trees and the best time of year for planting and why.

“To have such an engaged and enthusiastic group of pupils made the workshop incredibly rewarding, knowing that the knowledge passed on has been gratefully received and will be used in the future,” said Ben Williams, working supervisor at The Landscape Group.

“A small investment of

time, knowledge and money can re-ignite motivation and inspire the younger generation to care for and take a greater interest in the horticulture industry and wider environment.”

Teacher Emma Taylor Johnson, said: “The tree planting session was really valuable for our pupils, and I

certainly learned a lot too.

“Thank you to Ben Williams from The Landscape Group for leading the session. We plan on working together on more projects in the future as the company are very keen to give our pupils a bigger role in developing our school grounds.”

A sensory visit for students Gillmoss Recycling Discovery Centre welcomed visually impaired students from St Vincent's School, Liverpool.

Kirsty Martin, Veolia’s Waste awareness officer in Merseyside, had specially made tactile recycling logos, so the students could match these to different products.

The group got the chance to ‘guess the animal’ through the use of touch, seeing if they could identify ‘bin bin’ the recycled elephant sculpture, before a tour of the materials recovery facility from the covered walkway.

So the group could hear all the different sounds of the process (and get a whiff of the smell too!), the

62

windows of the walkway were opened and the students learnt how the facility works, matching the sounds to the different processes.

Clare Boland, teacher at St Vincent’s, said: “What an amazing visit! Everyone was fully engaged as demonstrated by their continuous questions. The visit was adapted to their needs and Kirsty made the children feel at ease, which is so important with visually impaired children.”

Kirsty Martin said: “Gillmoss RDC is such a visual experience, so the visit from St Vincent's was a great opportunity to re-think this aspect of learning. We look forward to our next group of visitors”.

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

Pupils from St Vincent’s School experience the working life of a recycling plant

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EDUCATE PLUS Sponsored by Greater Merseyside Learning Providers Federation (GMLPF)

Best practice for sports Developing a blueprint for fitness and leisure GMLPF has launched the region’s first sports provider forum in response to calls for a co-ordinated approach to training in the sports sector The inaugural GMLPF Sports Forum meeting took place at Tranmere Rovers’ newly refurbished grounds.

Membership development manager at GMLPF, Jo Rymer said: “The GMLPF Sports Forum has been established to share best practice and to give a collective voice to members regarding the future of training for the fitness and leisure industry in the region.”

Representatives from various training organisations including football academies gathered to begin developing a blueprint for how the forum can operate.

There are several types of end user that the providers want to create a dialogue with. They include potential professional sports people, young people in the Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) group, and anybody who wants to access post-16 education in the sports and leisure industry.

The forming of the group is not just good news for the industry but also anybody looking to take a related qualification, as well as employers wishing to recruit young people in the industry.

Hot topics that came up included how courses could be

accredited with UCAS points and the Trailblazer Apprenticeship programme.

The member organisations of the Sports Forum also expect that they will be able to refer applicants to each other as and when appropriate.

One of the things that the sports providers are particularly passionate about is the wider impact they may be able to have on issues such as obesity and mental health amongst young people.

Further meetings will take place on a quarterly basis.

Progress Sports, Tranmere Rovers academy, Fit UK, JM Education, TVC Wirral & Liverpool, SALT/LFC Academy and the Jamie Carragher Academy all attended the first meeting.

Employment success for Sara Sara Kalaiova impressed her tutors and work placement so much that she was offered an employed apprenticeship; having completed her Level 2 Employability Skills (Access to employment) programme at tpm.

Sara carried out three weeks of work experience at Treetops Day Nursery. During this time she impressed management with her overall performance including using her initiative and how quickly she settled in working with both staff and children. tpm’s foundation co-ordinator Natalie Harris said: “During Sara’s time at tpm she’s developed her confidence, employability skills and communication skills. Sara has also achieved her personal goal of working with children and studying for a childcare qualification.

“She has been a delight to teach, she puts 100% into all her work. Since Sara started here at tpm her confidence has grown, she communicates well and has developed employability skills. Throughout Sara’s time her attendance has been excellent, she comes to class with a positive attitude, is always happy and smiling and stays behind to finish her work.

Sara is a reliable, caring, and friendly young person who has potential and will succeed in life.”

Perhaps the biggest outcome for Sara is she has successfully achieved her dream of working with children.

13 YEARS CHAMPIONING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING ON MERSEYSIDE

www.gmlpf.net

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The students involved in pitching their ideas were Becky Prince, Chloe Sefton, Danielle Birchall, Amelia Taylor, Laura Brooks, Abigail Housley, Megan Robinson and Zoe Shoebridge.

College students ‘Think Big’ Five St Helens College students held their nerve in front of a panel of ‘Dragons’ to secure £1500 worth of funding as part of O2’s ‘Think Big’ initiative.

‘Think Big’ encourages young people to participate in social action as a way to develop their enterprise and digital skills and boost their employability.

Deborah Meaden and co may not have been in the seats for the Dragons’ Den style event, but that didn’t mean the students were let off lightly, with tough questions on their pitches asked by all four judges made up of representatives from O2, St Helens Council and St Helens

College - which were brilliantly answered.

Five potential projects were presented to the panel by one group of students and four individual applications.

The students involved in pitching their ideas were Becky Prince, Chloe Sefton, Danielle Birchall, Amelia Taylor, Laura Brooks, Abigail Housley, Megan Robinson and Zoe Shoebridge.

Each project was awarded £300 to bring their ideas to life - which involved social media cyber-bullying awareness; videos on behaving better on public transport; a trip advisor style music band app; social media training in residential homes and pamper packages for women

living in sheltered accommodation.

Alex Walter, head of healthcare at O2 and one of the judges, said: “I was really impressed by the quality of the ideas presented to us at the Think Big event.

“The young people had clearly put a huge amount of effort and time into their pitches and I’m very pleased we were able to give out another five grants in St Helens.

“The grants are a positive way that O2, in partnership with St Helens Council, St Helens College and St Helens Chamber, are empowering young people in the town to do something great and boost their skills and experience.”

A starring role Fifteen students set for a career in show business Fifteen young people have successfully auditioned at Jennifer Ellison’s fame academy, based at Jelli Studios on Edge Lane in Liverpool and will start on a BTEC Diploma in Performing Arts.

Alongside this the students will follow Key2Apprenticeships modules funded through GMLPF to boost their English and maths skills.

Each aspiring performer had to show their acting and dance skills as part of a tough audition process.

The 32 week course is getting a boost from GMLPF after the academy successfully registered as a new provider and tendered for support.

The new pupils will now embark on a course of study including performance, dance and acting skills.

Educate Plus sponsored by GMLPF

The qualification can lead to a career in production or the arts.

During the course of study, the teenagers will benefit from tuition delivered by highly experienced teachers including tutors who have held lead roles in successful West End musicals, television and even Hollywood blockbuster

movies. During the course of their 32 weeks with the academy they will also participate in masterclasses taught by visiting performers.

On the course, students will undertake a variety of activities including project work, written assignments and presentations and some public performances.

A recent recruit said: “This is all I have ever wanted to do; the standard of everyone applying was very high so it was like a dream come true when I was awarded a place on the course”.

Jennifer Ellison added: “The enthusiasm and talent of these teenagers has impressed everybody at The Academy so far.

“We expect that many of them will go to pursue a successful career in show business.”

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APPLY APPL LY NO NOW! W! TRAINEESHIPS TR RAINEESHIPS AINE A Traineeships are work placements and a great stepping stone to help you gain the skills needed to move onto an Apprenticeship or employment. ࢒ Receive £25 a week to help with the costs of travelling to College and your placement.* ࢒ Develop the skills, knowledge and attitude that employers look for.

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Showcasing their talent Students shine supporting Strictly Come Dancing stars Performing arts students from Knowsley Community College have been busy showcasing their talents across the region, as part of their internship with college partners, MD Productions.

This year’s busy halloween period saw students work alongside Strictly Come Dancing professionals, Faliva Cacace and Vincent Simone, at a large corporate event in the city centre.

Students were tasked with teaching the choreography to the contestants, as well as partnering with them for the performance and opening the show in a fantastic group dance.

Students have also fronted the recent Police campaign to raise awareness of the dangers and consequences of girls and women getting involved in gangs.

Filling the city centre dressed as models, prison guards and police officers, the students led an out of the ordinary catwalk, sporting police equipment including tags and handcuffs.

The students’ busy schedule didn’t stop there; they were also involved in performances at weddings, community fundraisers and some of the largest corporate events in Liverpool City centre.

Carmel Clowes, the students’ tutor,

said: “We are really proud of how professional and involved our students have been during their internships with

MD Productions so far. They have been exposed to real industry experience and truly thrived”.

In the same league Academy to use the power of football GMLPF newest members Street League, through their award winning academy, use the power of football to get young people into work, education and training.

Already boasting more than ten academies in major cities across the UK, they have now opened another at Liverpool’s own Anfield ground.

16-24 year olds who are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) can apply for an eight week academy programme, which run on various dates thought the year.

The course features employability tips and sport skills. Participants play football matches against teams from other organisations and will benefit from one to one careers advice.

Street League has been operating in the UK for nearly 15 years and started out working with homeless people.

Now their attention is focused on anybody who is unemployed and not in training, with the aim of turning lives around.

Educate Plus sponsored by GMLPF

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A cut above the rest The manager of Everton Football Club has praised the work of a Myerscough College student after he won a national award.

The recent IOG industry awards saw another generation of Myerscough College learners recognised for their achievements from their industry peers.

Among them was Ryan Powell, who is on the ground staff at Everton Football Club.

Ryan is part of a team of ten, where his main responsibilities revolve around the maintenance and development of the playing surfaces - including marking out - and the surrounding wildlife conservation areas at the club’s Finch Farm training ground in Halewood.

Here, he carries out his additional gardening duties, involving soil cultivation, mulching, watering, weeding, edging, pruning and bed preparation, as well as the care of rockeries, herbaceous borders and shrubberies.

In addition, he has created and landscaped a World War I memorial garden at the entrance to Finch Farm.

Ryan has been with the club since he left school and has advanced from a Level 2 and Level 3 apprenticeship in horticulture/sportsturf onto a Foundation Degree, all at Myerscough College.

Ryan’s achievements have now

captured the attention of Roberto Martinez, who congratulated Ryan on his achievements.

Roberto said: “It’s always great to celebrate achievements of the team both on and off the pitch.

“The club is committed to excellence, and anything we can do to improve the quality of our provisions can only help to improve our performance. ‘’It’s clear that Ryan is a talented young groundsman and as a team we congratulate him on his award and wish him the best in his future career.”

Ryan said: “It’s fantastic to receive recognition for really just doing my job, Bob Lennon, the team at Everton and my Myerscough College tutors have supported me every step of the way, investing in me through training and education to allow me to develop my skills and experience. ‘’To think I am now starting in higher education is something I never thought I would achieve and I am looking forward to the day I graduate.

“Apprenticeships are a great way to start a career and I would recommend them to all young people considering careers in groundsmanship.

“It’s great that the manager and players have taken time out of their busy schedules to acknowledge my award and to congratulate me.”

Ryan Powell with Everton manager, Roberto Martinez

The Prince’s Trust’s Magic

Magician Stephen Williams Jr

The Prince’s Trust has transformed the lives of young people in need of support for the last 40 years; including that of Liverpool’s own Stephen Williams Jr. Leaving Archbishop Beck Catholic Sports College in Liverpool at the age of 16, Stephen had the dreams and aspirations of becoming a magician and working in show business, but had no real idea of how to do it.

“Nobody in my family is in the entertainment industry or has their own business, so although I wanted to become a professional magician, I genuinely had no idea of how to do it.

How could I go from doing the occasional gig and charity event around the North West, to making a full-time career out of doing what I love? People were telling me that I needed to get a ‘proper job’, that the magic should just be a hobby, and part of me had started to believe them. I’d hit a brick wall really, and I think it’s fair to say I was somewhat lost,” Stephen said.

It was at this point that a friend of his suggested he tried approaching The Prince’s Trust for support. “I knew about the charity,” Stephen said, “but I assumed it was only for traditional kinds of businesses; gardening and plumbing, that kind of thing. I never would have imagined they’d also be able to help with something as obscure as being a magician.”

“Upon approaching the trust, they genuinely couldn’t have been more supportive. We’d meet once a month to review how everything was going and give me guidance as to what to do before our next meeting. We’d then speak regularly throughout the month to make sure everything was on track.”

Under the guidance of expert magician and mentor Russ Stevens, his performance prowess flourished, allowing him to sell out his one-man show in Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre, which later went on to secure him international representation.

13 YEARS CHAMPIONING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING ON MERSEYSIDE

www.gmlpf.net

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Graduation glory The first group of students have graduated from Know Hospitality Academy (KHA) in Liverpool, taking their first steps of what promises to be an exciting new career.

The group of five young people were congratulated and praised by guests and VIPs at a special presentation evening at The Richmond Hotel Liverpool.

The five graduates were Emilia Carden aged 18; Asa Jones aged 17; Warren Kilcourse aged 17; Ben Lavelle aged 18 and Sophay Ledwich aged 17.

Know Hospitality Academy is based at the Grade II listed Richmond Hotel Liverpool. It is from here that students study and learn all aspects of hospitality from within a working hotel environment.

The aim of the academy is to grow and develop skills and opportunities in the hospitality industry for young people who are keen to begin a career in this thriving sector.

The Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Tony Concepcion was amongst guests who were welcomed by Steven Hesketh, managing director of Know Hospitality Academy and The Richmond Hotel Liverpool. Their families, Richmond mentors, and industry experts joined graduates. The next group of interns also attended to give them an insight into what they can expect from the programme.

Steven Hesketh, said: “We are thrilled that our first five Know Hospitality Academy students have embarked on what can

Ruth Runacus (Kaplan); Nicola Hesketh (KHA); Ben Lavelle; Sophay Ledwich; Tony Concepcion, Lord Mayor of Liverpool; Ann Concepcion, Lady Mayoress of Liverpool; Steven Hesketh (KHA), Asa Warren and Danielle Kershaw (Kaplan)

become a tremendous journey for them. It takes heart, passion, dedication and self-motivation to succeed in the hospitality industry and create memorable experiences for guests – and the graduates are already demonstrating these skills.

“The Richmond team have fully embraced the academy programme by becoming mentors, sharing the wealth of their expertise and knowledge with the hospitality talent of tomorrow.

“The hospitality sector in Liverpool City Region is stronger than ever, and it is a career which can take you anywhere in the world. I am very proud of what Know Hospitality Academy’s students have achieved in such a short space of time.”

BAFTA award winning art director visits Carmel Graphic design students at Carmel were in for a treat when BAFTA award winning art director, Jamie Stockley, visited the college.

Jamie, a former student, who studied graphic design and ICT and then completed his Art Foundation Diploma at Carmel, gained a degree in animation at Edge Hill University.

Jamie shared his experiences of how his knowledge, skills and passion for animation as well as his drive and determination, led to him landing his dream job almost two years ago, as art director of the CBBC’s production Clangers.

Whilst at university, Jamie entered lots of film competitions and contacted as many animation studios as possible to build up his contacts which proved essential for him when he was ready to get his first job.

At university his graduation film won the University’s Media Film of the year! He also came third in the St Helens Channel 4 Big Art Project working alongside the team who constructed The Dream in St Helens and through this Jamie got his first work experience opportunity.

Before Clangers, Jamie worked on numerous productions including Roary the Racing Car, Raa Raa the Noisy Lion, Disney’s Frankenweenie and Strange Hill.

These projects enabled him to develop a range of different skills such as prop making, set building and puppet making, essential in his current job.

“It is my job to work from the scripts with the directors to design and create props and sets throughout the production” said Jamie.

“To be working as part of the team who brought back such British heritage kind of series as the Clangers, is a dream job for me! To win a BAFTA is a surreal and joyous feeling!”

Former Carmel College student Jamie Stockley returned to share his knowledge with students

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Premier opening Manager officially opens Everton Free School Everton manager Roberto Martinez joined leading education, charity and business figures at the official opening of Everton Free School and Sixth Form College recently whilst Belgian international Kevin Mirallas called into classes to meet with students.

The Blues boss was in attendance at the official opening ceremony of the multi-million pound education institution on Spellow Lane alongside Everton CEO Robert Elstone and club ambassadors Graeme Sharp, Ian Snodin and Graham Stuart.

Speeches camefrom Executive Principal Phil Duffy and Everton in the Community CEO and Chair of Governors Denise Barrett-Baxendale as well as hearing from former students about the impact Everton Free School has had on their lives, both personally and professionally.

Earlier in the afternoon Everton midfielder Kevin Mirallas visited the school and was given a personal tour where he called into classrooms to meet students and find out more about the courses they are studying.

The Belgian international took part in a Sixth Form sports session in the impressive sports hall before putting his maths skills into practise and then visiting a science lesson where he joined the students in learning about the science behind fingerprinting.

Phil Duffy, executive principal of Everton Free School; Denise Barrett-Baxendale, CEO of Everton in the Community, Roberto Martinez, manager of Everton Football Club and Robert Elstone, CEO of Everton Football Club

Speaking after the opening ceremony Martinez said: “It is a privilege and an honour to be invited as Everton manager to see and hear about the determination, the passion and the belief of individuals who have contributed to the fantastic accomplishment that is Everton Free School.

“So many of the values and ideals that we treasure as Evertonians about our unique, magnificent football club are embodied within this school; our

community to community, our pursuit of excellence, and our promise to encourage and develop young people.

“This is a very proud day to everyone associated with Everton Free School, Everton in the Community and Everton Football Club.”

Everton Free School and Sixth Form College was constructed as part of the Government’s Free School programme and caters for a maximum of 200 students.

Revlon spread the love in Liverpool They may have started out making nail varnish in the 1930s but there is no denying that Revlon has become one of the leading names in modern day hairdressing.

The partnership Mode has with Revlon Professional continues to go from strength to strength. This provided them with the opportunity to work in collaboration to launch Revlons latest seasonal collection in the North West.

Anne Veck, owns a salon and a UK Revlon Ambassador was the star attraction at the launch for the collection ‘Fall in Love’, which was staged at Alma De Cuba in Liverpool.

Mode tutor Michael Flood said: “Working alongside the Revlon team is always a great experience. Anne’s creative approach is second to none. On this particular occasion it was extra special as we felt part of the team and picked up new knowledge and state of the art hairdressing techniques over a total of three days”.

Fresh from the launch at Alma De Cuba, the Revlon team came back to Mode the following evening to treat their own VIP guests to a demonstration of the techniques from the launch night including free hand colouring, flash lights, back to back colouring and avant garde styling.

Salons which employ a Mode apprentice came from across the city for this very special technical demonstration.

Simon Nezri from Simon Alexandra said: “Liverpool follows fashion trends and beauty like no other city in the UK. Our day to day clients are always looking for something stunning and unusual, my staff and I have come away with new skills as a

Educate Plus sponsored by GMLPF

direct result of working with Mode”.

Nick Riley, Revlon’s education manager for the UK & Ireland said: “Mode and Revlon have had an amazing professional relationship for more than ten years. It is a real pleasure working with Mode, the level of hairdressing teaching is amongst the highest in the industry.”

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Convoy to Calais

Former pupil returns for acting workshop

Students recreate life inside a refugee camp in Calais

A team of more than twenty Liverpool Hope University social work students and their lecturers have collected and delivered vital supplies to refugees in Calais.

The students organised a convoy of ten cars and vans full of clothes, toiletries, food and other supplies, which travelled to the refugee camps in Calais.

They were joined in their efforts by fellow social work students from the Universities of Chester and Liverpool John Moores, and members of the Social Work Action Network (SWAN).

They also joined up with other SWAN convoys from around the UK. As well as collecting supplies, the students from Liverpool Hope raised funds to pay for the journey, which cost

around £300 per car.

Jemma Herbert, who is studying for an MA in social work said: “As social work students, we wanted to act directly to improve the dignity and wellbeing of the refugees Dr Joe Greener, lecturer in social work at Liverpool Hope said: “We are really proud to announce that our students have mobilised themselves to take action for the refugees at Calais.

“They organised a campaign to send desperately needed goods to the border camps and raise money for the nongovernmental organizations working there.

“It is exhilarating to see students decide to take direct steps which could make a real difference to people who are desperately seeking a sanctuary.”

Art students go all out to cheer up sick children A local NHS clinic has presented students with a special award for creating bespoke artwork aimed at lifting the spirits of youngsters visiting the centre.

Art students from The City of Liverpool College have been working hard to create large decorative murals for display in the family waiting area of Smithdown Children’s walk-in centre.

The project began back in 2014 when around 20 students started the task as part of the Jigsaw Mural Project. The final pieces of work, which featured brightly painted

zoo themes and jungle animals, were presented to nurses at the centre in December by staff and students from the college’s arts centre on Myrtle Street.

Smithdown Children’s

Walk-in Centre is the only NHS centre of its kind in the country aimed at treating young people aged between 0-15 years who present with a wide range of minor injuries and illnesses.

Former Cowley International College student, David Moorst, took his place alongside some of the world’s biggest stars on stage and screen after winning the Evening Standard Emerging Talent award for a role on London’s theatre circuit in November.

The star-studded awards ceremony at the Old Vic theatre was presented by Rob Brydon and co-hosted by Dame Judi Dench and Sir Ian McKellen. The event was attended by Hollywood royalty including: Nicole Kidman, James McAvoy, acting legend Vanessa Redgrave and composer Stephen Sondheim.

David, 23, was awarded for his role in Violence and Son at the Royal Court, a play about his character’s turbulent relationship with his violent father.

David showed his true inspirational Cowleian characteristics by leading an acting workshop for aspiring actors at Cowley Sixth Form.

Mr Sheeran, senior leadership and management team member, said: “We are thrilled to hear about David’s magnificent achievement.

“During his time at Cowley, he was a very popular and diligent student who showed exceptional talent in the roles he performed in our theatre performances.

“I, along with the whole of the Cowley community, send our heartfelt congratulations to David on his fantastic success and wish him all the very best for his part as Jack in the play ‘Into the Woods’ that’s being performed at the Royal Exchange.”

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Ken Heaton A Week in the Life of… Ken Heaton, headteacher at Florence Melly Community Primary School Florence Melly Community Primary School in Liverpool has a vision to ensure each and every child reaches their potential and has as many opportunities in life as possible. Headteacher Ken Heaton attended the school for seven years as a child and brings years of experience to the role, which includes setting up education centres in Everton and Liverpool football clubs and leading the National Year of Reading for the city in 2008. With an ex-pupil at the helm who describes it as his ‘dream job’, we spoke to Ken about his working week and what makes Florence Melly so special.

Monday On most days I am in school from 7.45am until 5.45pm. However, that is not the end of my working day! Taking on the headship of a school in ‘Requires Improvement’ means working at home each night for at least another three hours. My diary is full of a wide range of planned activities and meetings focused on moving the school forward. Every week is different but whatever is happening, the children always come first. Every morning I call in to the breakfast club where over 120 children are given a free breakfast served by our superb support staff.

Tuesday Assembly is always a fantastic way to start the school day and today was special as I got to thank all the children and staff for the excellent newsletter which was full of exciting events in school. A special Samba performance by Year 4 was a particular highlight as it was great to see a hall full of appreciative parents. Later on in the day, I had a learning walk with the English and maths subject leaders focused on the need to develop greater consistency.

By late afternoon, this is usually the time I spend meeting with parents and today I have three scheduled in.

Wednesday I have been immensely proud seeing our children perform superbly in nativity plays and Christmas productions, which this year included Aladdin and Babushka, and watching our superb choir and orchestra performing to all of our parents! Many years ago I was in the Flo Melly School Choir myself and it’s a great pleasure to join in with the children singing joyful songs and discussing music with our instrumentalists. Today we had an important staff meeting focused on the

preparation for meeting with the school improvement partner and the maths and English lead officers.

Thursday The day starts with a fantastic performance of Snowman at Sunset by the reception children. Parents are really happy. I get to observe learning every day and today is no different; I love talking to our children about their performance. My days are a balance between school activities and meetings, and today I meet with the chair of governors, business manager and colleagues. Being the boss of a large primary school of 453 pupils requires detailed preparation for a number of challenging meetings perhaps with human resources (HR) on staffing issues, or inspectors or school improvement partners on learning and achievement. I also have to performance manage our teachers and this week has been really positive. I really enjoy giving feedback and advice to our teachers who teach with so much confidence and enthusiasm.

Friday The afternoon nursery nativity was yet another outstanding performance – the children are amazing and so funny! I also meet one of our pupils who has made a miraculous recovery after a serious accident. She is inspirational and I present her with a card and gift from school. Near the end of the day I clear and respond to the day’s 100 office emails and urgent phone calls, before leaving for home. This job is full-on and very demanding, ensuring we do everything we can for every child in our school, but it is intensely rewarding and so much fun working with children who brighten up every day. It has been a week full of amazing achievements by our fabulous pupils.

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Primary News

Pupils make it onto the big screen Children from Pleasant Street Primary School were chosen to bring season’s greetings messages to the public across digital screens in Liverpool.

Artwork by ten budding artists was displayed across digital screens in Liverpool One shopping mall and in Liverpool Lime Street train station for December. Their artwork was also displayed in rail stations and shopping malls nationwide.

Commuters and shoppers in Liverpool were greeted by festive artwork, part of an initiative by JCDecaux, the company that operates digital screens in thousands of train stations and shopping malls across the UK. Mr Verdin, headteacher at Pleasant Street Primary said: “This was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the wide range of art produced by our pupils and to bring it to a wider audience. We were delighted to be bring season’s greetings to people out shopping and travelling in Liverpool.”

Proud pupils from Pleasant Street Primary show off their original drawings

Singing stars at Cathedral

Practise time for The Mount pupils

Children from a Crosby primary school were chosen as one of the star attractions of a fundraising Christmas concert at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral.

The Show Choir from St Mary’s College Preparatory School, The Mount, took part in the ‘Celebrate a Liverpool Life’ festive event, in support of the Royal Liverpool University Hospital’s R Charity.

The concert - hosted by popular BBC Radio Merseyside presenter Roger Phillips - also featured performances from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir and acclaimed mezzo soprano Kathryn Rudge.

The show choir’s link with the Royal began last year when The Mount was one of a number of schools invited to entertain patients, visitors and staff by performing a 78

selection of popular carols and songs in the hospital foyer in the run-up to Christmas.

The R Appeal target is to raise £10million to fund state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment to help patients suffering from cancer and heart disease, and to also save the sight of many Merseysiders.

Mount headteacher, Michael Collins, said: “We were honoured to be asked to take part in this prestigious event - it’s a real feather in the school’s cap.

“I know that the members of the choir rose to the occasion and sang beautifully at the concert, and that other pupils, parents and staff supported this exceptionally good cause in whatever way they could.”

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

Spreading the Christmas cheer

Pupils from Bishop David Sheppard CE Primary School in Southport proudly presented Tesco with their food bank collections in time for Christmas.

Families from the school had been kindly donating food items to the food bank collection point in school over the last few months before Christmas to support this good cause.

Year 6 pupils also spent two days at the Tesco store distributing leaflets to raise awareness of the food bank and encouraging people to make donations.

John Pugh MP was also there to show his support for this worthy cause.

Lesley Kirkbride, Tesco’s community champion, said: “As a result of the hard work of the children from Bishop David Sheppard, Tesco experienced a big rise in the number of people making contributions”.

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Remembrance Day News

Stunning tribute from pupils A stunning floral tribute created from handcrafted poppies formed the centrepiece of one Knowsley school’s Remembrance Day. Pupils at Stockbridge Village Primary created the flowers in art lessons and at lunchtime, or even at home with family, to put towards a huge display in the school’s atrium.

As well as the poppies, the school spent time thinking about those who served, or who are serving in conflict.

On Armistice Day a service was held in school, led by the children themselves, a trip to see the poppy installation at St George’s Hall, Liverpool took place.

Headteacher Jill Albertina, said: “It is part of the school’s curriculum of promoting values of liberty and respect, British history and British values.

“There are a number of children in our school who have family members who served or are currently serving in the forces, so Remembrance Day is particularly poignant to them.

“It’s also important to us as a school to think about those who fought for the liberty of the country and what remembrance means to us all.

“The poppies that the children created look absolutely fantastic, and they are all extremely proud of the work they put into the display.”

A stunning tribute from the pupils of Stockbridge Village Primary

First hand learning

Pupils from Bishop David Sheppard CE Primary School with the poems they wrote about the war.

Year 6 children from Bishop David Sheppard CE Primary School in Southport had the great privilege of meeting a World War Two veteran.

The pupils were invited to Byng House, Southport which is owned by the British Legion, and they were able to sit down and ask questions about what it was like during the war years.

Headteacher, Mrs Murphy said: “The 80

children learned a lot and this was an extremely valuable session as they were able to feedback to the rest of the class all the information they found out as they are currently learning all about World War Two and its impact on Great Britain.

“The children brought some of the war poems they had written in class to hang on the tree at Byng House”.

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

Art department remembers…

Over 120 students and staff from Archbishop Beck Catholic Sports College created a ceramic poppy to be added to their own mini version of the installation art “Weeping Window”.

The artwork, previously featured at the Tower of London, was unveiled at St Georges Hall, Liverpool in November.

The art department thought that creating their own mini version would be a poignant tribute to the war dead and a way of demonstrating how art can be a powerful means of portraying a message.

Students from KS3-KS5 took part and created an eclectic and interesting mix of poppies.

Year 9 students also created a powerful painting to sit alongside their cascading poppies.

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SIXTH FORM OPEN EVENING Monday 1st February 2016 6.00pm to 8.00pm

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Educate Awards 2015

Educate Awards 2015 Winners

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

Words by Hannah Fowler

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Educate Awards 2015

The glitz and glamour of the red carpet themed Educate Awards ceremony made it an A-list evening, but the celebrations didn’t end on the night. Winning schools in Liverpool, Sefton, Wirral, Knowsley, St Helens and Lancashire continued to revel in its success when they returned to the classroom. We reflect on the 2015 incredible awards ceremony by visiting each of the winning schools and finding out what the award means for its whole school community.

Community Partnership Award sponsored by Vivark This award, sponsored by Vivark, was presented to Gateacre School for its BIG Little Library project at Belle Vale Shopping Centre. To date, the libraries have attracted over 3,500 customers and has given away more than 10,000 books; the project is a perfect example of an excellent idea translated into making a real difference in the whole community.

Winning the award for the fourth consecutive year was an amazing achievement for the school, as community co-ordinator Lisa Mitchell says: “I’m really shocked because I didn’t think we’d do it four years on the run. The project we’ve won it for was very worthwhile to us so it means a lot.”

(L-R) Paul Wilson, centre manager, Belle Vale Shopping Centre, Gerard Lonergan, headteacher and Lisa Mitchell community co-ordinator

Teacher of the Year Award sponsored by Connex Education

Peter Fearon, Teacher of the Year

The coveted Teacher of the Year Award, sponsored by Connex Education, was scooped by Peter Fearon of Bebington High Sports College, for his devotion to the Bebington High School Farm. The farm, which was set up to help young people know where food is sourced, how it’s grown and the care needed for animals, is an asset to the school and is motivating children who may otherwise have been disengaged with traditional learning.

“This was unexpected to be honest, the kids did it all and I didn’t even know they had nominated me so that’s why I invited them along tonight,” said Peter, co-ordinator of landbased science, having been joined by students on the night.

“It’s really hard work running a farm but I know the kids appreciate it because I see them there on a day to day basis.”

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

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Educate Awards 2015

The Communication Award sponsored by The Foundry Agency

Paul Vine, deputy head and Nicola Truman, headteacher with pupils

Leamington Community Primary School was presented with The Communication Award, sponsored by The Foundry Agency. With a focus on using social media to interact and engage with its community, the school has transformed its communication over the past year. Using feedback from parents, the school has made communication a focused priority for improvement and introduced many measures to much success, such as a new website, monthly newsletters and organising family fun events after school.

“We’re just so pleased that we’ve won,” said Leamington’s headteacher, Nicola Truman. “We’ve made a huge effort to try and communicate with the parents and the community and we’re glad that’s been recognised.”

Science Project of the Year sponsored by MerseySTEM The Science Project of the Year Award, sponsored by MerseySTEM was presented to Bishop David Sheppard Primary for its extensive use of science across the school.

Throughout the year, the school continuously provided children with opportunities to excite and extend their scientific knowledge and enquiry skills, through external links with Edge Hill University to school activities such as Science Club.

“We are delighted, absolutely delighted” said headteacher Karen Murphy, who was joined by science subject leader Sarah Petrie on the evening. She added: “Sarah leads on our science and has worked incredibly hard to raise the profile of science in our school. It has had a magnificent effect on the children.”

Science subject teacher Sarah Petrie with young scientists

SEND Provision Award sponsored by Myerscough College

(L-R) Kishan Bhalsod, head of maths with Greg Chiswell, deputy head and some Observatory School students

84

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

The SEND Provision Award, sponsored by Myerscough College is awarded to a school that demonstrates an increase in the quality of care and education being provided to pupils with special educational needs. The Observatory School in Wirral are certainly worthy winners with its unique and creative approach to learning. The small school has transformed itself into a beacon of outstanding practice with its dynamic projects which include the ‘World’s Wettest Classroom’.

We caught up with the school just days before its ambitious journey to Iceland, led by Greg Chiswell of the school. “It’s absolutely fantastic [to win],” said headteacher Elaine Idris.

“The team is wonderful; everybody from the pupils, the staff, the governors and everybody associated with the school.”

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Educate Awards 2015

Innovative and Creative Literacy Award sponsored by Merseyside Network for Collaborative Outreach The District C of E Primary School won the Innovative and Creative Literacy Award, sponsored by MNCO, for its Year of Reading project which immersed pupils in reading, sparked a love of literature and cultivated a reading for pleasure culture at the school. So much so that the idea is now being used by two other St Helens schools who have adopted the Year of Reading and are following in the school’s footsteps.

“We’re absolutely overwhelmed; it’s beyond our wildest dreams,” said

(L-R) Karen Knox, Nails and Novels co-ordinator, Heather Wright, project leader with Lesley McFarlane, reading champion

headteacher Diane Bate, who was joined by project leader Heather Wright and reading champion Lesley McFarlane having collected the award. “We can’t wait to share the award with the children because all of this has been about them, and creating a love of reading for them.”

Outstanding Arts in a Primary School sponsored by E-Voked Workshops This award, sponsored by Evoked Workshops, was presented to Netherton Moss Primary School for its dramatic reconstruction of World War 1. The judges noted that the project was ‘outstanding and very moving’ and was an inclusive project which involved every child and several art forms, bringing to life the horrors of the war.

“It’s a huge thing [to have won] because the kids value the notion of the awards so much and they kind of expect this to come home,” said Janice Sharp, teacher of music performance and drama. “They’ve put so much energy into it and it’s such a big deal at school.

“It’s wonderful to have that recognition because I know how hard people have worked.”

Netherton Moss Primary School

(L-R) Teacher Joanne Loftus, headteacher Anya Richardson with deputy headteacher Debra Eaton

Spirit of Enterprise Award sponsored by The City of Liverpool College Rainford CE Primary in St Helens won the Spirit of Enterprise Award, sponsored by The City of Liverpool College, for its Dragons’ Den 2015 initiative which has raised money to improve reading in the school and benefit future pupils. Pupils invented a variety of products, including a milkshake bar, sweet kebabs and bath bombs and then went on to pitch the ideas to the school’s 'Dragon's Den' panel. The final rounds involved the pupils creating, advertising and eventually selling the products during 'market days'.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to have won,” said headteacher Anya Richardson on receiving the accolade. “We’re so proud of our children who did the work and are always enterprising every day, in lots of little ways. They’re going to be really excited too.”

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Educate Awards 2015

Outstanding Arts in a Secondary School sponsored by Adlib Solutions

The Belvedere Academy performing arts department with pupils

The 2015 award for Outstanding Arts in a Secondary School, sponsored by Adlib Solutions, was presented to The Belvedere Academy for its production of Oliver. The production involved many of the school’s departments and students across all years; an ‘innovative approach’ which the judges said set them apart. On the evening, talented pupil Darci Shaw performed a solo of ‘Where is Love’ from the show.

“We are thrilled and over the moon,” said head of drama, Abi Cox. “It’s down to the dedication of all our pupils and the way the school worked so cohesively as a complete body putting it all together.

“It was a massive team effort so we’re just delighted with the outcome.”

Career Aspiration Award sponsored by Greater Merseyside Learning Providers Federation (GMLPF) Calderstones School was presented with the Career Aspiration Award for its menu of careers opportunities ranging from apprenticeships to Oxbridge. The award, sponsored by GMLPF, recognised the work the careers team contribute to inspiring its pupils and providing them with endless career experience and opportunities.

“We do everything we possibly can to give the best careers advice and guidance to our Calderstones pupils, and it’s just lovely to have the acknowledgement because we’ve worked really hard to give them the best opportunities,” said deputy head Sharon Ellis.

(L-R) Sharon Ellis, deputy headteacher with assistant headteacher Allan Preston and students

Leadership Team of the Year sponsored by Progress to Excellence The Leadership Team of the Year category brought a second award of the night for Southport primary, Bishop David Sheppard. Sponsored by Progress to Excellence, this category was a new addition for 2015 and acknowledges a leadership team which can demonstrate how the team is on track to achieve its set objectives. Bishop David Sheppard has seen a remarkable transformation across the spectrum under its current leadership, as the school was in danger of closing only a few years ago.

“We have worked incredibly hard for this,” said headteacher Karen Murphy, joined by deputy Sue Sullivan and assistant head, Siobhan Bayliff.

“I started six and a half years ago when the school was closing and we’re now oversubscribed and a very popular school, and it’s all thanks to the fabulous team.”

Deputy head Sue Sullivan, headteacher Karen Murphy and assistant head Siobhan Bayliff

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Educate Awards 2015

Outstanding Teaching of Life Skills sponsored by National Citizen Service (NCS)

Matthew Baines and Grant Carruthers, assistant headteachers with students

Archbishop Temple School in Preston was awarded the Outstanding Teaching of Life Skills award, sponsored by NCS, for its ‘Lad’s Club’ initiative. The project has given young men aged 11-16 a chance to enjoy a wide range of activities while building confidence, friendships and key life skills, all led by positive male role models at the school. Members meet fortnightly and enjoy activities such as camping, climbing, boxing, cinema, outdoor cooking, survival techniques and bowling.

“Obviously we didn’t start the initiative to pick up awards, we did it for the lads and we enjoy doing it – that’s the bottom line,” said the school’s assistant headteachers Grant Carruthers and Matthew Baines. “This is just a bonus.”

Innovation in Education Award sponsored by eCadets Magic walls, iPads for all children in years two to six and a weekly radio station were among the initiatives which prompted judges to pick Flakefleet Primary School as the winner in the Innovation in Education category, sponsored by eCadets. The school wanted to create a 21st century environment for its pupils and think of what the future holds for the next generation.

Assistant headteacher Carl Sumner picked up the prize alongside former headteacher of nine years, Mike Barnes, who retired this summer. “It’s amazing, we’re blown away,” said Mike.” It’s not just about one project, it’s across the school - the innovation is in every classroom, with every member of staff and every child.”

Assistant headteacher, Carl Sumner

Outstanding Commitment to Sport in a Primary School sponsored by Jamie Carragher Sports & Learning Academy

(L-R) Headteacher Phillippa Agate with PE co-ordinator Stephen McCann and pupils

This category, sponsored by Jamie Carragher Sports & Learning Academy, was presented to Saint Cecilia’s Catholic Junior School. Sport has been revolutionised with the completion of the school’s very own ‘Anfield, Goodison and Olympic Stadium’ and the huge commitment and drive by staff has ensured the school’s sport provision is now outstanding, with many team and individual successes.

“Everything we do is for the children in our school and we completely transformed our PE, so now our children can actually do sports when previously there was decking and canopies,” said headteacher Phillippa Agate, who was joined by PE co-ordinator Stephen McCann.

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Educate Awards 2015

Outstanding Commitment to Sport in a Secondary School sponsored by Liverpool John Moores University

St Margaret’s Church of England Academy’s sport department

St Margaret’s Church of England Academy took the Outstanding Commitment to Sport title, sponsored by Liverpool John Moores University, for its diverse sports programme, as well as an innovative approach to broadcasting sporting news across social media. Particularly impressive is the Sixth Form’s football team, First XI Football, which has seen an incredible revival over the past 18 months in the hands of its new manager, Greg McLean. Greg has led the team to 31 victories to date, with an incredible 176 goals scored in 44 games.

Greg McLean, under-18s football manager and sixth form admin, described receiving the award as a “privilege,” having previously been a former pupil at the school himself. “[The school has] a very dedicated PE department which is interested in every imaginable sport and not just the obvious ones for young people, so it’s a great success,” added marketing director Christine Roberts.

Most Inspirational Primary School sponsored by Knowsley Schools 4 Health, 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Foundation Trust The Most Inspirational Primary School was Halewood CE in Knowsley. The judges noted that the school, which earlier this year celebrated its inclusion in The Times list of top 200 best-performing schools in the country, is much more than a beacon of academic excellence and lives up to its motto of ‘Where children believe, achieve and succeed’.

“We’re really delighted to receive this and we really didn’t think we were going to win it but it’s absolutely fantastic,” said headteacher Dave Smith.

“The children, the governors and the parents all deserve this, and my chair of governors deserves it as well. We’ve worked so hard and we’re also in the top 200 performing schools this year, which was just announced in The Times. We’re 56th again!”

Halewood CE School

Eco School Project of the Year sponsored by Carillion Plc Sponsored by Carillion, the Eco School Project of the Year was handed to Liverpool Life Science’s UTC’s aquaponics project. The ongoing project with Farm Urban and University of Liverpool has expanded students’ scientific knowledge with ‘unique eco activity’ and provided the opportunity for students to engage with varying methods of sustainability and research.

“There was a lot of hard work from ourselves but also from our external partners Urban Farm, who gave us a lot of support for the project,” said vice principle, Ian Parry. “It’s paid off and it’s the start of a whole new adventure we’re developing at the moment so watch this space!”

Vice principle Ian Parry with staff and pupils

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Educate Awards 2015

Most Inspirational Secondary School sponsored by Liverpool Hope University This award, sponsored by Liverpool Hope University, was presented to Wellfield High School in Leyland. The judges described the school as a ‘phoenix rising from the flames’ and how, by putting pupils and their experiences at the heart of everything they do, the school has been transformed.

“I’m delighted for the school, delighted for the staff, delighted for the pupils, and it really is fantastic to have all the hard work recognised,” said headteacher Piers Tolson.

“We’ve been through a tough couple of years but really we’ve come out of the other side of it and this is what we feel we should be doing at the moment – receiving the recognition of our hard work, so I’m absolutely made up for everyone.”

Headteacher Piers Tolson with staff and pupils

WOW Recognition Award sponsored by Paul Crowley & Co Solicitors Gateacre School finished the night as it started – as winners – having picked up a second prize for its BIG Little Library initiative. The award, sponsored by Paul Crowley & Co, recognises a project which has created that WOW factor in a school and its community.

Opened on World Book Day 2015 to encourage more children and adults to read, the BIG Little Library has since received around 20,000 donated books and prompted 10 other ‘Little Libraries’ around the city.

“We’re a little bit surprised but it’s a fantastic feeling because there is so much fantastic work that’s gone into this and so much benefit for the people in the community,” said headteacher Gerard Lonergan, who was joined by community co-ordinator Lisa Mitchell.

“I think we’re going to need a bigger display cabinet!” added Lisa.

(Centre L-R) Gerard Lonergan, headteacher, Lisa Mitchell community co-ordinator and Paul Wilson, centre manager, Belle Vale Shopping Centre

Preparations are now underway for the 2016 Educate Awards, which is already shaping up to be bigger and better than ever when it returns to Liverpool Cathedral on 18 November.

A full list of categories and details of how to enter will be available online at www.educateawards.co.uk soon. Watch this space!

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A TOUCHING TALE

Shmuel (Harrison Crossley) tells Bruno (William Sweeney) the story of his life.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas This year Gateacre School’s drama department took on the challenge of an adaptation of John Boyne’s famous novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.

It tells the story of Bruno and Shmuel, two boys who live on different sides of the fence in Nazi occupied Poland. It is a story that goes to the heart of the human condition, exposing the good and the bad, the innocent and the guilty.

The beauty and the horror of this story is that, in their youth, the boys are unaware of the brutal reality of who they are. It is a device that works well in a book. The difficulty is transferring the story to stage.

The students and staff involved in this project rehearsed from September, including weekends and the half term holiday. A huge commitment and perseverance by all those involved led to a challenging and thought provoking journey.

Shmuel (Harrison Crossley) and Bruno (William Sweeney). Two boys who live on different sides of the fence

Mother (Emma Halvorsen) meets Pavel (Ben QuigleyBuckley) for the first time

“Best friend for life” Bruno (William Sweeney) and Gretel (Amy Youd) have a history lesson with Herr Liszt (Oscar Rimmer)

What Bruno (William Sweeney) and Gretel (Amy Youd) saw through the window

Kotler (Curtis McGuiness) and Father (Owen Kirkwod) discuss the ‘numbers’.

Bruno (William Sweeney), Gretel (Amy Youd) and Maria (Amelia Brake) get comfy in their new home

The family discuss the “Fatherland.”

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PLESSINGTON PERFORM Festive celebrations for the whole community Pupils and staff from St John Plessington Catholic College closed early for one day in December as they celebrated their ‘Here comes Christmas’ event in which all students, their families and the extended school community came together to celebrate and raise over £5,000.

The Christmas celebrations didn’t stop there as the school also held their Christmas nativity and carol service.

Performed in numerous locations around the school and the school grounds, the students guided their audience on a special journey, culminating in a celebration of the meaning of Christmas.

Journey’s end

Search for the baby

Herod

Win a car!

Another King at Christmas!

Angels announce the good news

Herod’s men – the search begins

Sixth form students offer coffee with a smile

Enjoying the races

Time to celebrate

Take a spin!

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SPOTLIGHT ON MAGHULL HIGH A musical showstopper

Maghull High School’s annual dance show is always a popular event and this year was no exception. On the first night, more than three hundred people packed into the school’s arts theatre to witness dances ranging from contemporary, ballet, tap and hip hop to samba. The first half opened with a live performance from the school’s Year 7 samba band and accompanying dancers. The audience was then treated to some wonderfully entertaining dance pieces from some of their partner primary schools.

Melling Primary School performed a dance choreographed by two Maghull High A-level dancers who had been teaching them. Pupils from Aintree Davenhill’s dance club impressed the audience with their lively routines, including a Charleston themed piece. Longmoor Primary School pupils blew the audience away with an abstract, contemporary number which was very professionally performed. A stunning solo was delivered by Charlie Aspinall, who has recently auditioned for Rambert Dance Company. Other highlights included Grace Faulkner’s tap piece and Paige Errington’s lyrical solo.

Paige Errington leads the Year 8 Dance Club

Year 13 A-level dancers perform to Yesterday by the Beatles

The Year 8 Dance Club perform to ‘You Can’t Stop the Beat ‘

Grace Faulkner performs to Dance With Me to Tonight

Holly Lawton

The Year 9 Dance Club

Dancers: Charlie Aspinall, Francesca Spearritt, Ashlee Platt, Ellen Moncur

Dancers: Tayah Kenworthy and Emma Clayton

The Year 9 Dance Club

Kate Hopkins and Molly Gardside get down to ‘Uptown Funk’

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NEW BEGINNINGS FOR NORTHWAY Young and old join together in celebration The new Northway Primary School in Wavertree was opened in a special service led by former students.

Four-year-old James Fearns, who is the school’s youngest pupil and 88-yearolds Majorie Fletcher and Dorothy Stewart, who attended the original school back in the 1930s, cut the ribbon to the new building. The new school includes a dedicated cooking room, 4D immersive learning space, outdoor classrooms with canopies and a ‘Spanish Step’ area for assemblies and performances. The outdoor space includes a raised green mound with a tunnel, which is proving popular with pupils and has been nicknamed the ‘Teletubby mound’ because of its similarity to the landscape in the TV series. To mark the day, pupils buried a time capsule, which included a song written by pupils and a DVD of the previous school, to be reopened in 2035. Headteacher Paul Anderson said: “This has been an incredible journey and experience for the whole school as we have been able to have so much of a say in the design of the new building.

“It is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us to create a new facility which will be used by generations of pupils.

“The whole school community is incredibly thrilled as it’s a wonderful environment to learn and work in.”

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson lent a helping hand

Younger pupils sang and danced for the visitors

Some of the school’s former pupils helped celebrate the official opening

A number of pupils spoke about the school

Pupils watched on from the first floor!

Headteacher Mr Anderson made a number of thank yous in his speech The school’s youngest pupil, 4-year-old James Fearns, cut the ribbon

Luciana Berger MP, Joe Anderson, Cllr Frank Hont, Cllr Lana Orr and Cllr Jeremy Wolfson

Joe Anderson and ex-teacher Eve Piper buried a time capsule

CALDERSTONESSCHOOL ASpec i al i s tSc i enc eCol l ege

P: 01517242087

E: admi n@c al der s t ones . c o. uk

W: www. c al der s t ones . c o. uk T: @Cal di es Sc hool

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Jacob, Anna, Emma and Amber head the principal cast

DAZZLING PERFORMANCE The sun came out for St Julie’s performance Students at St Julie’s Catholic High School reaped the rewards of weeks of preparation with head of performing arts, Miss Roberts and her team, for a dazzling series of six performances of ‘Annie the Musical’.

The show was staged in the school theatre and the premiere performance was for pupils from local primary schools who all thoroughly enjoyed the occasion.

‘Annie’ proved to be a challenging choice as Miss Roberts, “This particular production has some complicated choreography as well as huge amounts of set changes. It was a great opportunity to really stretch our talented performers and technical crew.

The dedication shown by every member of the production has been fantastic, not least from our leading star who dyed her hair red for the part!”

Anna Ladanowski, a Year 9 student, won the part of Annie during auditions back in June and worked tirelessly, along with the rest of the company, to give a fantastic performance.

The school took the decision to accompany the cast with a full live band, and the student musicians did fantastically well, under the musical director Mr Quinn.

The students were rewarded for their effort with a phenomenal audience response with every night of the show being fully sold out.

Annie sings ‘Maybe’ alongside orphan Evie

Ellie is every inch the showman as Healy

Remi is the ventriloquist, but Savannah is no dummy!

Emilia, Annalise and Rebecca as orphans

Amber makes a terrifying Miss Hannigan

Miley the dog gave a star turn

Kate, Ellie, Jeny and Charlotte: all the President’s men

The orphans made a fantastic chorus, played by students from Years 7,8 and 9

Annie isn’t happy at all

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St. Julie s Catholic High School Sixth Form Serve the good God well, with much liberty of Spirit

Our first class student support, wide range of courses, consistently high results and excellent progression rates ensure our students realise their ambitions.

Last year, 100% of our sixth form leavers achieved the grades needed to either continue in education or commence employment in their chosen career path.

With a rich heritage of educating in Liverpool, St. Julie s is the choice you can be confident in for a successful sixth form experience.

www.stjulies.org.uk

St. Julie s Catholic High School Speke Road Woolton Liverpool L25 7TN t. 0151 428 6421 email reception@stjulies.org.uk

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A SAFE HARBOUR FOR PUPILS Kirkby school celebrates opening Northwood Primary School in Kirkby celebrated the opening of their new multisensory classroom thanks to the rugby sports charity, Wooden Spoon.

Stan Bagshaw, regional chairman for Wooden Spoon Merseyside said: “Northwood Community School needed funding to renovate an old classroom in order to create a modern sensory facility. We visited the school and identified the benefits this would provide to the school children. We were delighted to support the project and attended the unveiling of the new sensory room to see the difference the equipment would make.”

Headteacher, Jason Hollywood said: “The opening of our multi-sensory room by Jamie Carragher was a proud moment for us all. A special thanks must go to Wooden Spoon for making this happen for the children of Northwood. It was great to celebrate with parents, children, governors, staff and special guests. Multi sensory environments improve the development of thought, intelligence and social skills. They offer children with challenging conditions the opportunity to enjoy and control a variety of sensory experiences. This room will enhance our provision no end”.

Jamie Carragher performs the opening ceremony with a little help from a friend

Pupils and parents from Northwood Primary wait in anticipation

Jamie Carragher with headteacher Jason Hollywood Pupils try out the facilities

A sneaky peek before the official opening Stan Bagshaw, regional chairman, Wooden Spoon Merseyside Joe Mellor, vice captain of Widnes Vikings, former Liverpool footballer Jamie Carragher and Jason Hollywood, headteacher

There was plenty to do including karaoke

A momento of the day for staff

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A FAMILY FAVOURITE

‘All I want for Christmas is you!’

Schools collaborate on new pantomime Two Liverpool schools, West Derby School and Holly Lodge Girls’ College performed their rock and roll version of the famous tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. The retitled, ‘Jack and No Beanstalk’ took a modern slant on the old pantomime favourite. This joint school collaboration offered the audience all the codes and conventions of standard pantomime, but with double the laughs. It was witty, engaging and superbly played by the inclusive collection of actors and musicians from both schools, who provided a great night’s entertainment for friends and family.

The villain, Fleshcreep, is ‘Bad’ and has imprisoned poor Chelsea

‘He’s behind you Jack!’

The king and Silly Billy at the giant’s castle. Will the ‘Lactose free’ milkshake work?

Dame Trot is dotty about being ‘All by herself ’ ‘Welcome to Westderbydale’s Got Talent ‘Let me entertain you’ The audience were certainly entertained as all were up on their feet.

Jack’s new job at the ‘car wash’ ends in disaster. Will Dame ever pay her rent?

Poor Daisy the cow has to be sold at market.

Let’s hope she’s able to mooooove on.

‘Girls just wanna have fun’ but the giant keeps on spoiling it!

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PRIMARY ACT TOGETHER Citysafe ends with season finale The finale of this year’s Primary Act Together was held at St John Bosco Arts College. Act Together is an initiative by Citysafe, Liverpool’s community safety partnership and Merseyside Police, and was first introduced in 2008. The event encourages young people to discover more about the impact of crime and antisocial behaviour on themselves and their communities through drama.

Primary school’s from across the city took part, including Our Lady and St Swithin’s, St Matthew’s Catholic Primary School, St Albert’s Primary School, Broad Square Primary School and Croxteth Community Primary School. Each school was given a specific theme which was then used to develop a drama production, such as cyberbullying, social media and embracing different cultures.

At the end of the performances, each school received an award for their participation and hard work, presented by councillor Emily Spurrell and headteacher Darren Gidman.

Croxteth Community Primary School

Croxteth Primary School

Broad Square Primary School

Our Lady and St Swithin's Catholic Primary School

Broad Square Primary School

Chief Superintendent Mark Harrison, Area Commander

Headteacher Darren Gidman made an address

St Matthew’s Catholic Primary School

Our Lady and St Swithin's Catholic Primary School

St Albert's Catholic Primary School

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“An Outstanding Catholic School” Liverpool Archdiocese

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WORKING TOGETHER School celebrates community awareness Year 5 pupils from St Marie’s Catholic Primary School in Kirkby celebrated a day of community awareness.

The goal of the community awareness day was to increase the community’s knowledge of the available programs and services offered. This was accomplished by the children inviting various groups to the school to come and meet and greet the pupils.

Simon Watson, lead learning mentor at St Marie’s, said: “The Year 5 pupils invited local community services and groups to the school as a way of getting to know them, they included the police, fire service, a local stables and Scouts.

“We also invited family and friends who were more than willing to help.

“A big thank you must go to Andy Robinson and Paul Garvey from Knowsley Youth Mutual who helped to co-ordinate the day. The feedback from the community has been tremendous, so much so that we want to make this an annual event and get all the whole school involved”.

Year 5 pupils from St Marie’s meet ‘Bobby’ the Merseyside Police mascot

A bit on the big side

Total concentration was needed

Pupils also got the chance to get to meet local horses

Design your own Superlambanana

Outdoor living ‘indoors’

Having fun with paint

‘We love Bobby”

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SPORTS FOR ALL Schools take part in winter style Olympics Disabled athletes from four Liverpool schools took part in an unforgettable winter Olympics-style event at Fazakerley High School organised by the Liverpool Schools Sports Partnership (LSSP). Pupils from Elleray Park, Meadowside, Palmerston and Princes Primary School battled it out in a range of indoor sports including the bobsled, the luge and hockey dribble, with assistance provided by sports leaders from Fazakerley High School. Organiser Jess McNally, from LSSP, said: “It’s been a brilliant event and everybody has really enjoyed themselves. It is fantastic that children with severe learning difficulties from across Merseyside are able to experience competitive situations in sport that are specific to their ability level.”

Elleray Park School

Taking it carefully in the hockey Palmerston School

A young athlete gets a helping hand

This young athlete gives it the thumbs up

Princes Primary School

Helpers from Fazakerley High School were on hand offering support Meadowside School

Some of the brilliant helpers from Fazakerley High School

Action from the relay races

There were plenty of smiles on show

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Libby, Year 9 Music student

Everyone M atters Everyone Helps Everyone Succeeds

1,586 reasons why we were voted the best school in st helens Libby is just one of them A combination of strong academic performances and cultural events such as the National Youth Orchestra workshop add value to our pupils learning experience.

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News

Big news for The Big Bang North West 2016!

Building on the success of the last two years of The Big Bang North West, organisers MerseySTEM have announced it will return for 2016 with an even bigger bang on Liverpool’s iconic waterfront.

Organisers and Educate Awards sponsor MerseySTEM, is well known in the region for doing incredible things to promote science, technology, engineering and maths in schools, businesses, the community and beyond.

The Big Bang North West 2016 promises to be its biggest event to date.

Held at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool on 5 July, the brand new venue can accommodate 6000 children and is open to all North West schools, Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 4 and beyond.

The Big Bang North West is a STEM celebration which enables young people to discover the exciting and rewarding STEM based careers available in the local area via fun ‘quick hitting’ handson action.

This year’s careers fair will be bigger than ever where you can meet inspiring engineers and scientists from across the region and be able to check out the entries for The National Science & Engineering Competition.

The full list of exhibitors will be revealed shortly, but last year highlights included coding at a huge CoderDojo, riding on a Viking longboat, a zoobus,

(L-R) Managing director Michelle Dow with the MerseySTEM team

racing Usain Bolt through an inflatable accelerator tunnel, live animals, 3D printing and robot wars!

Managing director Michelle Dow, who will also take a seat on the Educate Awards judging panel this year, is looking forward to another jam-packed event, saying: “We are so excited about The Big Bang North West 2016! With a new date and a sensational new venue at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool, it’s going to be the biggest and best yet!

“We have the capacity for 6000

schoolchildren and a gigantic floor space for all manner of interactive STEM shows, hands-on workshops, competition work, fun activities and careers stalls we can’t wait to reveal them all.”

“It’s going to be an unbelievable day, a celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths. Remember, remember, the 5th of July!”

To register a school group and book your morning or afternoon place, visit https://nearme.thebigbangfair.co.uk/North _West/

Design a logo challenge Don’t miss the February deadline!

Schools in the City Region are being given the chance to design a logo for the Liverpool Commonwealth Association and win £100 for their school.

The competition is being run by Cllr Gary Millar, chair of the Liverpool Commonwealth Association and the prize winner will receive £100, kindly donated by Chris Lewis from Community Concepts.

Gary said: “This important culturally diverse association needs a new logo and I hoped it could be designed by a school from the City Region.

“Schools need to look at how they would promote the regions’s association to others and what they are proud of in terms of their cultural heritage.

“They need to express their vision of cultural heritage and diversity of our region through a creative outlet that best represents our links with the commonwealth.

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“The deadline for entries is Monday 1 February and the winning entry will be professionally recreated by a design agency and appear on all association documents, website and social media (with credit given to the winning school)”.

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 53 independent and equal sovereign states and includes some the world’s largest, smallest, richest and poorest countries spanning five regions.

Liverpool is the UK’s first “Commonwealth City”, particularly placing migration, education, culture, people, youth, women and business at the heart of the objectives of such a declaration.

Entries should be scanned and emailed to gary.millar@liverpool.gov.uk and also submitted in a closed envelope to Liverpool Commonwealth Association, Crawford House, 2 Gwent Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L8 8DN.

Cllr Gary Millar

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News

New additions The Educate Awards judging panel revealed Preparations for the Educate Awards 2016 are underway, with new judges already lined up and the return of some familiar faces to the judging panel.

The Educate Awards, moving in to its fifth year, is the one night of the year where the excellence of schools in Merseyside, Cheshire and Lancashire is celebrated and rewarded in a unique fashion.

Joining the panel this year is Henry Platten, founder of the multi awardwinning eCadet Scheme. The eCadets saves kids’ lives by empowering pupils to keep their friends safe online. Henry has worked with online safety and school issues for more than 10 years, winning prestigious awards for ‘Making the Internet a Safer Place’. As a parent he is driven to ensure future generations have the skills to safely get the most from the digital world.

Another new judge joining the panel for 2016 is managing director of MerseySTEM, Michelle Dow. Starting her career as an apprentice gas service engineer, Michelle quickly moved up the ranks in to management and found her passion for establishing links between industry and education. MerseySTEM works across Merseyside, Cheshire and Warrington to bring exciting science, technology, engineering and mathematics projects to life.

The third new judge to join the team is Merseyside track athlete and architect James Tartt. As a fully-qualified architect working for Falconer Chester Hall, James balances his time competing alongside his full-time job. Aiming to qualify for this year’s Rio 2016 Olympics, James is hoping to fly the flag for Merseyside and become an Olympian.

Returning judges include Fiona Barnet, director of The Foundry Agency; Radio City presenter Leanne Campbell; Councillor Gary Millar, Liverpool’s cabinet member for business, enterprise and investment; Chris Walker, regional managing editor of Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales; Lesley MartinWright, chief executive of Knowsley Chamber; Andrew Pimbley of Claremont Farm and Wirral’s Farm Feast; Olympian and managing director of Raise The Bar, Steve Smith and the education team at the Everyman and Playhouse theatres.

Kim O’Brien, founder of the Educate Awards, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Henry, Michelle and James to our growing panel of experts and 112

Henry Platten

Michelle Dow

education champions. They each bring something unique to our panel with their knowledge within the areas of technology, STEM and sport. We’re excited to have their input in to the allimportant shortlist.”

“It’s also great to have some familiar faces back on the judging panel, with all their expertise, I’m certain the Educate Awards 2016 will continue to raise the bar and award the best projects and initiatives happening throughout the region.”

Nominations for the Educate Awards 2016 will be open shortly, to keep up to date follow @educateawards on Twitter or go to www.educateawards.co.uk

James Tartt

Attend, achieve and succeed at school in Knowsley The ‘attend, achieve, succeed’ campaign has been launched in Knowsley to encourage pupils to have an excellent school attendance, enabling them to achieve their full potential.

School attendance has been improving in Knowsley schools and this campaign is aiming to increase the number of pupils with 100% attendance by 10% compared to previous years. Information collected before the Christmas break suggests this target has been exceeded in many schools.

Cllr Gary See, cabinet member for children and family services, said: “We know that pupils who have better attendance tend to do better in their exams, and we are keen to celebrate excellence.

“Parents play a key role in this and if children are unable to attend due to sickness, we request that parents notify the school as soon as possible.”

To encourage pupils to maintain excellent school attendance, the gold / silver / bronze medal award campaign has been adopted. Since it was introduced in September, it has received positive feedback from pupils, who are striving to achieve a gold medal status.

Over 5,500 bronze medals are being issued to pupils for their attendance in the autumn term. The council’s school attendance service will continue to work with schools across the borough, monitor attendance, offer advice and support and take action if absences persist.

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Book Review

In association with

5-8 Years The Jolly Postman by Allan Ahlberg, Janet Ahlberg £9.99 The Jolly Postman delivers cards and letters to various fairy-tale characters. He has a letter of apology for the three bears from Goldilocks, a postcard from Jack for the giant, a solicitor's letter on behalf of Little Red Riding-Hood for the wolf who ate grandma, and so on. There are six envelopes in the book, each containing letters, cards, etc.

Alyssa the Snow Queen Fairy by Daisy Meadows £5.99 Alyssa the Snow Queen Fairy makes sure that everyone is happy throughout winter in both the human and fairy worlds. But when nasty Jack Frost steals her magical objects, everything becomes an icy misery! Can Rachel and Kirsty help get them back before Fairyland freezes over?

The Puffin Book of Stories for Five-year-olds by Wendy Cooling, Steve Cox £5.99 Seventeen exciting stories, full of adventure and magic, by much-loved writers, including Margaret Mahy, Ted Hughes and Malorie Blackman. From a naughty pirate to a very lonely lion, children will love the amazing characters they meet in this timeless collection! Perfect for five-year-olds to share or read aloud. With a gorgeous cover illustrated by Nick Sharratt.

9-12 Years Fiction Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J. K. Rowling £4.99 As featured in the first year set texts reading list in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an extensive introduction to the magical beasts that exist in the magical, non-Muggle world. Some of the animals featured in the A-Z you will have already met in the existing Harry Potter books.

Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens £5.99 When Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong set up their very own secret detective agency at Deepdean School for Girls, they struggle to find any truly exciting mysteries to investigate.

(Unless you count the case of Lavinia's missing tie. Which they don't.) Then Hazel discovers the Science Mistress, Miss Bell, lying dead in the Gym. She assumes it was a terrible accident - but when she and Daisy return five minutes later, the body has gone.

The Butterfly Lion by Michael Morpurgo, Christian Birmingham £5.99 A lyrical and moving tale of a young boy growing up in Africa, and his lifelong friendship with a white lion. "All my life I'll think of you, I promise I will. I won’t ever forget you."

Bertie rescues an orphaned white lion cub from the African veld. They are inseparable until Bertie is sent to boarding school far away in England and the lion is sold to a circus.Bertie swears that one day they will see one another again.

Teenage Fiction The Shepherd’s Crown by Terry Pratchett £16.00 Deep in the Chalk, something is stirring. The owls and the foxes can sense it, and Tiffany Aching feels it in her boots. An old enemy is gathering strength. This is a time of endings and beginnings, old friends and new, a blurring of edges and a shifting of power. Now Tiffany stands between the light and the dark, the good and the bad. As the fairy horde prepares for invasion, Tiffany must summon all the witches to stand with her.

Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman £5.99 Sephy is a Cross - a member of the dark-skinned ruling class. Callum is a nought - a ‘colourless’ member of the underclass who were once slaves to the Crosses. The two have been friends since early childhood. But that's as far as it can go. Against a background of prejudice, distrust and mounting terrorist violence, a romance builds between them.

The Great Death by John E Smelcer, John Elvis Smelcer £5.99 The visitors from downriver had strange pale skin and blue eyes, but they left a deadly sickness of red spots and fever. Thirteen-year-old Millie and her younger sister Maura were the only survivors. As the first snowflakes fell the dogs were turning wild, and it was clear that the two girls must leave to find a new home.

Are you a librarian, teacher or purchasing manager? Do you buy books for your school?

Waterstones Liverpool offers a comprehensive account sales service. Contact Sarah Hughes, Children's Department, Liverpool ONE, 12 College Lane, Liverpool, Merseyside L1 3DL. Tel: 0151 709 9820

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WHERE CAN WE GO? Our pick of what’s happening out & about in the region

Saturday 6 - Friday 19 February

Red, Yellow, Pink And Green!

22 January - 4 September World Museum Liverpool, William Brown Street, Liverpool, Merseyside L3 8EN. Tel: 0151 478 4393

Wonderland St George’s Hall, North Entrance, William Brown Street, Liverpool Tel: 0151 924 4468 www.inanotherplace.com Have you ever wondered what it would be like to visit Wonderland? Well now is your chance as Liverpool’s St George’s Hall is to be transformed in to the magical, colourful and slightly mad world of Wonderland in February.

From the creators of the hugely successful event The Narnia Experience, The Alice Experience celebrates the 150th anniversary of the famous Lewis Carroll children’s book, Alice In Wonderland. Walk through a forest of giant mushrooms, meet weird and wonderful characters, join Alice on her adventures and experience Wonderland for yourself. Follow the White Rabbit, have tea with the Mad Hatter, visit the Caterpillar, meet the Cheshire cat, sing along with the playing cards, and avoid losing your head with the venerable Queen of Hearts!

Tuesday 2 - Saturday 6 February Liverpool Everyman Theatre, 5-11 Hope Street, Liverpool L1 9BH Tel: 0151 709 4776

ma literA ste ary rpi ece

William Golding’s 20th century classic Lord of the Flies explodes onto the stage in a remarkable production direct from London’s award-winning Regent’s Park Theatre. When a group of schoolboys survive a catastrophic plane crash, what starts as a desert island adventure quickly descends into a struggle for survival in a darkly sinister world of superstition and immorality.

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Friday 19 - Saturday 20 February

Last train to Auschwitz New Brighton Floral Pavilion, Marine Promenade, New Brighton, Wirral, CH45 2JS 0151 666 0000

FUTURE EVENTS

William Golding’s Lord Of The Flies

Returning to Liverpool for its 10th anniversary, Eye for Colour is guaranteed to alert the senses and stimulate the mind, the familyfriendly exhibition is jam-packed with handson exhibits and interactive displays, exploring the endless ways in which colour shapes our world. The free exhibition encourages visitors to understand the science of colour, with displays to amaze and engage all the family. Take a step into the Mood Room, a space that allows you to experience and explore the effect colour can have on the way you feel, or find out the impact colour can : have on how we enjoy our food.

FREE d n Throughout the exhibition run there is also a o G e a programme of free, family-friendly events, se including arts and crafts.

Last train to Auschwitz tells the story of a group of women’s journey into hell; their final destination is the notorious concentration camp Auschwitz.

This show is an emotional rollercoaster, in a place where dreams die and human rights are abolished.

Witness the fight for survival against pains of hunger and the well-known, dishonourable gas chambers. Whilst some will lose the fight for freedom, others will survive and battle for justice for loved ones lost. A show which will capture the emotions of audiences with empathy felt throughout, there is a message to be heard and a lot of history to be learned.

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Wednesday 20 January

15 - 19 February

MAGAZINE and APP REVIEW National Geographic Magazine Distributor: National Geographic Society Verdict: ★★★★★ By Andy Kelly

England Netball Echo Arena, Kings Dock, Liverpool Waterfront, Liverpool, L3 4FP Sport Tel: 0844 8000 400

Destination Space Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK11 9DL 01477 571766

This will be the first chance for England fans to watch the team in action following last summer’s Netball World Cup that took place in Sydney, Australia. England will be hosting the 2015 winners the Australian Diamonds

In December 2015, British European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake started his mission to the International Space Station. To celebrate this mission, our science show will show you the dangers, realities and daily routine of life in space.

Saturday 13 February

2 - 6 March

How The Koala Learnt To Hug Edge Hill University, St Helens Road, Ormskirk, Lancashire L39 4QP. Tel: 01695 584480

Dynamo Echo Arena, Kings Dock, Liverpool Waterfront, Liverpool, L3 4FP c Magi Tel: 0844 8000 400

Koalas are the cuddliest critters but just how did they learn to hug? There’s only one way to find out so come and hear Karen the Koala tell her story in this fun filled family musical, written especially for parents to enjoy with their children. Based on the book by Steven Lee.

Magician Dynamo will be embarking on his first ever live tour and fans will have the opportunity to see his magic skills up close and personal in what promises to be a spectacular and unique live stage production.

7 - 9 April

Friday 29 April

Around the World in 80 Days The Atkinson, Lord Street, Southport PR8 1DB Tel: 01704 533 333

Error 404 Unity Theatre, 1 Hope Place, Liverpool L1 9BG Tel: 0844 873 2888

SONG Southport’s Award winning youth theatre presents a thrilling musical adaptation for the whole family of Jules Verne’s adventure yarn. Can the intrepid Phileas Fogg, his devoted servant Passepartout and an elephant called Eugene, fend off villains and bandits….?

Error 404 is a funny, engaging and unusual story about a young boy whose best friend is a robot.

Funny, engaging and totally interactive, Error 404 has been created to get children thinking and asking some big questions.

Every performance is different, with ideas and suggestions coming directly from the audience.

Something a bit different for this issue, which I think is a must for any child, as each issue of National Geographic magazine is, perhaps, the world’s most renowned source of stunning photography, captivating infographics and original illustrations.

This monthly publication is packed with expertly written articles and features on wildlife, geography, popular science, history, culture, the environment and current events.

Now read by more than 60 million people each month, the magazine is published in 34 languages.

As well as printing inspiring and thoughtprovoking articles, the magazine also often publishes maps - President Franklin D Roosevelt was an avid collector and his map room in the White House was filled with maps from the title.

Definitely worth a monthly subscription.

Animals for Kids Forest Tiny App Laboratory Verdict: ★★★★✩ By Andy Kelly Animals for Kids is a funny educational game for all ages.

Besides watching beautiful cartoon animals your task will be to clean the habitats from trash and see how funny animals reward you.

The game includes enjoyable and adorable real textured cartoon habitats and funny wild animals. You can also play the game in day or night mode. Change it by yourself or set it to change automatically according to device time. Day theme songs brings more energy and night theme songs are carefully written for a better night sleep. You can also discover magic trees and use the Animals for Kids game as a simple musical instrument with several different sounds and scales. This is a game were you can have tons of fun and on the plus side it is also positively educational for all children.

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My School Days Paul Du Noyer - Rock journalist and author

My schools: All Saints in Anfield, St George’s in Maghull and Salesian College in Bootle.

My favourite teacher: I’m sorry to say that I never appreciated how good they were until many years later!

Favourite subject at school: English Literature. To form the habit of reading analytically would bring me a career and an infinite amount of pleasure.

Were you streetwise or a bit of a geek?

I was quite studious but quickly grasped that a talent for mocking the authorities could buy popularity.

My favourite childhood band/singer: My school years coincided precisely with the

career of The Beatles. The biggest band in the world and they came from my home town!

My favourite extra-curricular activity: Playing football and following Liverpool FC in the Bill Shankly years. Later on, music was everything.

My favourite book: A collected stories of Edgar Allan Poe. Do you remember your first school crush?

No. It was an all-boys school, and a glimpse of the convent schoolgirls at our bus-stop was the closest we came to romance.

School dinners: Chips were seen as a sinful influence, so it was mashed potato every day. That and custard remain my sworn enemies.

My ambitions at school: I had none, beyond a vague sense of getting to London and letting fate decide the rest.

Paul Du Noyer is a well respected music journalist who was born in Liverpool.

Paul has interviewed many famous musicians including John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Madonna, David Bowie and Amy Winehouse to name a few.

He went to the London School of Economics and joined the weekly music paper NME. After that he helped launch Q magazine and became its editor. He then created the music magazine MOJO, which became the most successful in Britain. He also helped launch other magazines, including Heat, and many websites.

He has written five books including Liverpool: Wondrous Place, a history of his home town's music scene. His latest book is Conversations With McCartney, based on his 35 years of in-depth interviews with the former Beatle.

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